The Black Prince
by Vingilot
Summary: Harry finally sees through Dumbledore’s machinations and he begins some negotiations of his own. Joining forces with Voldemort, Harry becomes the Dark Prince he was born to be. Dark!Harry. HPSS. Ds. Pre HBP.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I know I'm supposed to be working on Skin Deep right now but I was rather inspired to start this. I'll try to work on both at the same time. I will NOT be abandoning Skin Deep, I promise you.   
Summary: Harry finally sees through Dumbledore's machinations and he begins some negotiations of his own. Joining forces with Voldemort, Harry becomes the Dark Prince he was born to be. Dark!Harry. HPSS. D/s. Pre HBP. 

Warnings: This will be a dark!Harry fic. James Potter will not be Harry's father, largely because he bores me. Harry also has a sexual relationship with a man 19 years his senior (who also happens to be his teacher). This is also a relation between a Dom and a sub. I sincerely doubt whips and chains will enter into this but it will be very clear that one man is dominant over the other. If this bothers you, don't read.

Ship: Harry/Severus (see above warning)

Disclaimer: Not mine, unfortunately.

Where we are: HBP never happened. It is the summer after Harry's seventh year. His sixth year and seventh years have already passed and were rather uneventful.

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Introduction 

Severus stood anxiously amidst his fellow Death Eaters. Voldemort had been quiet for the last year, revealing to his followers a few months ago that he was currently in negotiations with a possible ally, someone worthy not only of joining the Death Eaters but of ruling by his side as his equal. No one had any idea who the person was though as no one had ever seen Voldemort leave his headquarters or anyone who was not already marked enter. It was a complete mystery. Mysteries worried Severus.

The Death Eaters were all nervous. Tonight's meeting had been completely unexpected by everyone. They had long ago learned that unexpected meetings typically turned out bloody, regardless of their leader's recent tranquility. Voldemort often called meetings when he was angry and needed to vent. Everyone was milling around restlessly, trying to ease their fears without ever acknowledging that any of them were truly concerned. No one wanted to admit how much this meeting scared them. Admitting it only made it worse.

They had all long ago given up hope for a joyous meeting—a meeting that would announce the end of their struggles and their triumph over their enemies. It seemed to be too much to hope for. Perhaps this new ally might sway things…but no, everyone was too worried to even begin to think in such a manner. Even allowing the thought would be opening themselves up to a fool's hope. They were all too aware that Dumbledore's side was gaining strength. People simply weren't listening to the Dark mantra anymore. Dumbledore was too powerful and he had done too effective a job of discrediting them of any noble cause for people to come as willingly to their side. It was now only those who were disillusioned with the "light" side that came searching for the truth.

Voldemort entered suddenly from behind, his entrance announced only by the sudden noiselessness of those in the back and the immediate silence that spread through the room. The followers, as one, fell to their knees in front of their Lord.

"Tonight, my faithful soldiers, will be a night that changes the wizarding world as you know it," Voldemort began without introduction or greeting. "Tonight, you will finally be allowed to meet our new ally and we will complete the bargaining process that was begun nearly six months ago. If anyone does anything to ruin this alliance then they will become the subject of our next revel. This alliance is the way that we will win this war—it is the way that we will be able to take over the ministry and rule British society as we have long dreamed of. It is our only hope of ending the war within this lifetime. You will comport yourselves as proper Death Eaters tonight. If anyone attacks or provokes my ally then I personally will deliver your punishment."

"May we know who this great ally is, my Lord?" Lucius asked hesitantly. He knew that if anyone could get away with such a question it would be him.

Voldemort's jaw clenched as he fought his desire to curse Lucius for questioning him, especially in front of the general soldiers. Part of his agreement with his new ally was to try to limit the punishments that he had doled out so freely in the past. He had been working hard in the past few months to comply with the request. He knew that he needed this man's help if he ever wanted the war to end favorably. "You will see soon enough, Lucius," he hissed, clearly still angry.

Lucius breathed a nearly silent sigh of relief. Something had mellowed his master our in the past few months and he was damned grateful for it. Evidently the proceedings with the new ally had served to sooth him, making him feel, for the first time in nearly eighteen years, safe in his position in the fight to take over the ministry.

The doors to the hall suddenly swung open violently, hitting the walls with a loud crash. A slender figure stood in the doorway, heavily cloaked. A deep hood destroyed any chance of the Death Eaters seeing the identity of the man. Severus looked more closely, trying to make out who this new ally was. Tonight would be important for him especially. He had long been trying to decide on his place in this war, wavering between the light and the dark. The identity of this ally could decide him. If the new leader was strong enough he would throw his lot in with the dark, regardless of the fact that doing so would betray his lover who had been the only thing keeping him in the middle. He needed to look out for himself, after all. He was fond of the boy but he wasn't about to give up his chance for life and power in order to keep a good fuck.

The figure walked slowly through the parted Death Eaters, standing proud and confident. He approached the throne and stopped, looking up at Voldemort. "I see you've been expecting me," he said, cold amusement evident in his voice.

"I thought it prudent to allow you to see the men and women you will help to lead," Voldemort conceded.

The man lowered his hood but kept his back to the Death Eaters. They could make nothing out but a dark head of curly hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. Severus paled a bit but convinced himself that he couldn't possibly be right. The next thing the man did though identified him beyond a doubt to the entire room. It caused many to panic knowing the wrongs that they had done him, some to smirk in triumph knowing the end was near, and one man to turn completely white, knowing that his decision had been made for him. The man had hissed out what was unmistakably an order given to the Dark Lord in Parseltongue.

Voldemort's cold voice rang out clearly over his restless followers. "May I present to you the Black Prince."

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A/N: Short, I know. More to come soon! Please review and let me know what you think.


	2. The Meeting

A/N: Thanks for the lovely reviews! I am blown away by the response. I'll be updating Skin Deep tomorrow…I promise. Sorry for the delay, all!   
_Parseltongue_

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Chapter 2 

Harry turned around slowly to face his new followers. The Death Eaters shakily fell to their knees, barely able to remember protocol in their haze. He smirked at them, knowing that he had been the last person that they had expected. His eerily green eyes nearly glowed with power as he looked over the Death Eaters, the soldiers for the Dark. "I believe we have a few things left to discuss, Lord, before we complete our arrangement. I still must choose my gifts."

The Death Eaters all froze in terror, knowing that 'gifts' with the Dark Lord meant humans to serve as playthings, servants, or satisfaction of proper vengeance, even if that meant death. They had all attacked Harry Potter or his parents at some time or another. They were all in danger. No one knew who or what he would demand. They were all only too well aware that no one would be exempt. He would be given Lucius Malfoy himself if the Prince asked for him. Voldemort would not deny his new ally anything in order to assure an alliance.

"Of course. Have you created your mark so that you can brand all of them tonight?"

The conversation turned to Parseltongue as the Prince hissed his response and the Death Eaters watched with rapt attention, trying to interpret a bit of what was being said. Neither man was showing any expression on his face though, making it impossible for the Death Eaters to figure out anything at all.

_And what gifts will you ask for, Prince?_ Voldemort hissed, curious as to what the young man would demand. He could ask for anything and it would be his. Harry Potter was the only person in the world who could control which way the war went. When he had been contacted by the young man six months ago he had not believed that he was serious. As negotiations continued he had thought it too good to be true. Now he was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. He was certain that the list of 'gifts' that he would require would be long and painful to part with. He would do so without question though if it meant winning the war.

_I want Severus Snape._

Voldemort concealed a wince at the name given. _He is a valuable Potions Master. I ask you to reconsider before killing him. We have no one else who can do his work as effectively as he can and we have great need for his potions._

_I will not kill him. I ask only for what belongs to me. Severus Snape is already mine._

Suddenly Voldemort turned sharply to Severus Snape and stared at him in shock for a moment before turning back to the Prince and hissing a reply. The Death Eaters shifted restlessly.

_He is yours? Is he your mate?_ He could sense a bit of magical creature blood in the Black Prince but found himself unable to identify what type it was. It was clear though that the young man had found his mate and was now doing what was necessary to protect him.

_Yes, although he does not yet know it. I will not see my lover marked by another any longer. He belongs to me and I will see no other as his master._

_Is he your slave already?_ Voldemort asked, curious as to what type of relationship the surly potions master had with the young man. Severus did not seem to be the type to submit to anyone, much less a young Gryffindor who, at the time they had no doubt started their relationship, wielded no power to speak of. He could perhaps see him doing so now that he was a leader of the Dark but probably not happily. Severus Snape was not one who submitted happily.

_That is not your concern_. Harry said sharply. _The man is mine and I will have him._

Voldemort reluctantly agreed. He had never removed his mark from anyone before but if that is what it would take then he would do so. Severus felt his knees go weak. What was Harry going to do to him? He had obviously been one of the 'gifts' that he had chosen. Oh Merlin, he was going to die tonight. He frantically started to rethink his encounters with the boy…no, his Prince, over the past year. He felt certain that he would die before the sun rose.

_It will be done here, in front of the soldiers. I wish them to know that he belongs to me and is not to be touched. You will instruct them in this._

_Of course. You need not worry about that, he will be quite safe. What else you desire? You may have anything._

_Nothing. Severus is all that I wish for._

Voldemort raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised that Harry wasn't demanding more. The Death Eaters grew more uncomfortable, able to tell that their Lord was surprised by what the Prince had said. _You can truly have anything you wish. I can place your muggle relatives under safety. I can declare your muggle born friends off limits. Anything you ask for I can give you. I wish for you to be content with your agreement. You have given me much and as your co-ruler I want return the favor equally._

_I, rather, will give the muggles to you to do with as you wish, so long as I need deal with them no longer. Consider them my gift to you in celebration of our alliance._ Voldemort raised his eyebrow again, clearly asking for him to elaborate. _You have seen many of my memories, Lord. You know that I harbor no love for them. You have also seen the duplicity of those whom I had at one time called friend. I ask for nothing in regard to them. There are a few people that I believe can be safely brought to our side that I ask to hold attack on until we are certain of their loyalty but there is nothing else._

_Not even the werewolf?_

Harry looked up sharply at the tall man. _I was led to believe that he was already considering following us and in fact had nearly taken the mark. I did not think that I needed to have his life gifted to me to protect him._

_No, you do not need it. He seems to be ready to follow us and so is under no danger from raids or revels. I merely thought you might enjoy him in some other fashion._

Harry looked slightly ill. _I have no desire to take that man to my bed. He is as a father to me and will remain such. Even so, I do not ask him to be removed from necessary punishments should he make a grave mistake. It would not do to have too many soldiers exempt from all punishments. It will merely open our forces up to corruption and dissent. He would prefer to serve as any other Death Eater.  
_

_You have spoken with him about this?_

Harry nodded. Remus had been the only one that he had spoken with about his plans, the only one who he trusted to keep his secrets and whose advice he trusted enough to follow. They had decided together to switch sides. Remus had known though that he needed to enter as any other soldier did or else it would cause discontent among those who had worked hard over the past two decades to achieve their positions. They knew that they would be causing enough disruption as it was simply by declaring that Harry was now the equal of Lord Voldemort.

The Dark Lord and the Black Prince spoke for another ten minutes or so before coming to a conclusion. Both shook hands, silvery magic surrounding their clasped hands and binding their deal. Voldemort turned once again to Severus. "Come here, Severus." Severus walked forward slowly, stopping a few feet away and kneeling again. His terror was evident although he fought to conceal it. "Give me your arm." Severus hesitantly held out his left arm to his Lord, terrified of what was going to happen.

Voldemort pushed up his sleeve and covered the Dark Mark with his right hand, hissing a long incantation. The mark grew warm and then unbearably hot: the pain worse than when he had been marked in the first place. The Dark Lord released his arm and Severus collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath. The Death Eaters shifted anxiously, almost afraid to know what had happened to a man who was well known to be one of their Lord's favorites. After he had a moment to collect himself Severus looked down at his mark, expecting to see a withered, blackened arm after the pain that he had gone through.

He gasped quietly when all he saw was clear, unblemished skin. It was as if he had never been marked in the first place. He looked uncertainly between his Lord and Harry—his Prince, now, he reminded himself. "My Lord?" he asked uncertainly, not understanding what this meant.

Voldemort stepped forward once again to explain to his followers the significance of what had happened. This was the only gift that Harry had requested—the only one he would settle for. He needed to do this properly and ensure that his…their followers knew the severity of this new command. "This man now belongs to the Black Prince. He knows no master but him and is hereby released from his service to me. He enjoys the Prince's personal protection. Touching this man will be considered the same as touching the Prince. Harm him in any way and you will be given to the Prince himself to torture. I will not shield you should you attack him."

Severus stood shakily and stepped closer to Harry, kneeling once again in supplication. Harry quickly stepped forward and lifted him to his feet, motioning him to stand behind and to the left of him. Severus immediately did as he had been instructed although his mind was spinning. He had never expected this. Everything had changed since Harry had walked through that door.

The Death Eaters gaped at Severus Snape. Why the hell had Pott…the Prince decided to protect him so closely? It was clear that he had not requested Snape as the typical gift. He clearly had no desire to torture or kill him. He also did not seem to have a desire to make him a sex slave, or at least he wasn't treating him as such. What exactly was his purpose?

"My Lord," Lucius said hesitantly, "may I inquire what else the Prince has asked for to close the alliance?"

"Nothing," Harry said coldly, making the few eyes that had strayed from his form return quickly. Truly, there was little else he cared about anymore. Dumbledore had seen to that.

Chills ran through many of the men and women when they heard how frigid the young man's voice was. They had never heard him speak in such a manner before. It struck terror through them as well as respect and a thrill as they realized that he really might be everything that their Lord had said before. He really might help them win this war. A soft whisper ran through the restless Death Eaters, shocked by his admission and his attitude. Severus Snape was the _only_ thing that their new leader wanted. They all knew that a large number of them had personally hurt him deeply. It had been expected that he would exact appropriate revenge.

Harry decided to speak openly for the first time since his entrance. "A new day has dawned for those who oppose the light. The prophecy has been undone and we shall triumph over our enemies. The Wizarding World is ours for the taking." The Death Eaters cheered loudly, having received good news for the first time since their Lord's first reign. This was the day that they had all been waiting for.

Voldemort and Harry smirked at each other. They knew that nothing could stop them now. They had the most money, they had an immense politically powerful base in their pureblood following, they had more magical strength than anyone else and they had the support of a prophecy to back them up. They truly were unstoppable.

What Harry had said was true—the prophecy that they all knew a bit of and had been worrying about for the past twenty years _had_ been undone. What they did not yet know though was the new prophecy that had been buried within the old one, hidden by Dumbledore to all who sought it. This alliance had been fated just as Voldemort's initial attack had been fated. Destiny had played her role and she had decreed that events must unfold as they had done.

"Your Prince will mark you now," Voldemort said, bringing the cheers to a sudden silence. A few Death Eaters still looked nervous or upset over their new leader but the vast majority were too thrilled at the Dark side's newfound power to find any objections to declaring their loyalty immediately. Harry stood at the throne by Voldemort's side with Severus still behind him. The Death Eaters stepped forward one by one to receive the new mark on their right forearms.

Harry marked Severus last, looking deep into his eyes, offering a silent apology that fled from his expression almost before it could be registered. He slowly placed his right hand over the place where his mark had been before Voldemort removed it, making him the only Death Eater who bore his mark on his left arm as well as the only Death Eater who bore only one mark. Severus' eyes closed tightly against the pain but he didn't make a sound. Had his eyes been open they would have seen that repentant expression appear once again but by the time he had regained his composure the Prince's face had closed completely into the icy façade that he had shown thus far.

The Death Eaters all looked eagerly to their right arms, studying their new marks. The Dark Prince's mark was a pair of old fashioned scales surmounted on a red sun. The mark reassured many who had doubted that the Gryffindor could truly help them win the war. The mark promised justice and it promised blood and destruction. It appeared that the Black Prince might still value justice but he also had embraced violence, bloodshed, and death in order to bring about his justice. Yes, he would be a worthy leader.

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A/N: the Snarry starts next chapter. And yes, this will be a Dom!Sev and sub!Harry, even though it might appear otherwise in this chapter. I hope that my fic won't get erased for having a D/s relationship. I am cross posting at I'll try to post at silversnitch in case I do get erased.


	3. After the Meeting

A/N: I tried to post this before I went to work but my Internet wasn't working. Stupid dial up. Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! I was shocked to see how many people left reviews when I got up this morning. Thank you for your kind and encouraging words. Sorry I disappointed those who wanted Dom! Harry. I agree, there isn't enough Dom!Harry out there. Maybe I'll work on one next. Without further ado, here comes the slash! Enjoy! 

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Chapter 3 

Severus followed the Prince out of the meeting hall and into his private rooms. As soon as the door shut firmly behind them Harry erected a strong silencing charm to protect their privacy. He turned quickly to Severus, concern evident on his face. "Forgive me, Sir, for keeping this from you. I was not certain whether or not I should tell you until it was time. Voldemort advised me to keep it a secret from everyone until it was time for the announcement in order to protect us all. I am sorry that you learned it this way Sir, with everyone else."

Severus looked shocked for a moment that Harry clearly wanted to continue their old relationship before he snapped back into the role that Harry had freely given him two years before. "On your knees." Harry obediently sunk to his knees before Severus with his hands resting lightly on his thighs, assuming the proper position immediately out of many months of practice.

"You have displeased me through your secrets. You know that I cannot take proper care of you if you keep such things from me. You will not do so again."

"I am sorry, Master. Forgive me."

"I do not appreciate being surprised by this, especially in front of the other Death Eaters. I am displeased that you made such a monumental decision without first consulting me."

Severus walked slowly around the kneeling young man, feeling once again relatively safe and at ease with his situation. The familiarity of their positions did much to ease the stress of his earlier meeting. He truly didn't like surprises and he had been concerned that his lover would either kill him for his previous domination over him or else force him into a submissive position—something that he really wasn't comfortable with. It takes a special man to be a good sub just as it takes a special man to be a good Dom. Severus had been a Dom for too long to change himself now. He shook his head. Even with time, he knew that he could never find completion as a sub. It simply wasn't part of him. He yearned not only to take control and dominate but also to care for and protect—all things that clearly lay within his duties as a good Master.

He had quickly learned to temper his words, even when he was reproaching his sub for wrongs done. Harry would get too upset too quickly if he raised his voice or cursed too much. It reminded him too clearly of his worthless relatives and he would immediately slip into his defense mode that he had developed over his long years with them. They weren't physically abusive but their appalling neglect had seriously damaged the young man. The only attention they would ever give him was to yell at him for everything that he had supposedly done wrong. Harry would always sit in silence, soaking in the only form of attention he could get. He stopped listening to the words, which invariably hurt, and instead focused on the fact that someone was speaking to him—often for the first time in days or even weeks. This was not at all what Severus wanted him to be doing when he was reprimanding him. To keep the young man focused he always remained calm, using his voice to guide the troubled boy through the discussion.

He returned to the matter at hand when he heard a stifled sob. Evidently his silence had unnerved Harry. "I suppose that you did well though to rid me of one of my marks, although I do not like bearing yours. It is not your place to mark your Master," he said, acknowledging, albeit grudgingly, that he was not entirely displeased with the removal of his old mark. "Carrying your mark implies that you are the Master, that you are in charge."

"But I am not your Master, I could never be! I only wanted to keep anyone else from being your master or from hurting you. Forgive me," Harry said with tears streaming down his cheeks. He had been worried about this, about what would happen after the meeting. He knew that Severus wouldn't hurt him but he was worried that Severus would still date him but wouldn't want to be his Master now that his position in the war had changed so greatly or worse—wouldn't want to be with him at all now. He knew that he had complicated their relationship by marking Severus as his but he truly felt he had little choice in the matter. Although he belonged to Severus he knew that Severus also belonged to him as his human, his mate. Their relationship had always been fraught with tensions about who belonged to whom, although Severus did not yet know that he was Harry's mate. Harry had just complicated things even more through this new change.

Severus knelt down in front of his trembling sub. Harry feared rejection with every fiber of his being, courtesy of his muggle relatives. Severus finally acknowledged that he had long loved the young man and had continually tried to delude himself into believing that it was only about the sex. His heart had leapt when he realized that Harry was joining the Dark side. It would make everything so much easier. He had always felt that he belonged on the side of the Dark but his relationship with Harry had kept him lingering on the edge of the light for a while in an effort to not lose him. "It is not your place to protect me, pet," he said with a gentleness that would surprise almost anyone who knew him. "It is my job to protect you. You must remember this. Isn't that why you came to me in the first place?"

Harry nodded, slowly calming down as he realized that Severus was not going to end their relationship tonight. He had been terrified that the older man would refuse to work beyond this new complication. It would be difficult with Harry needing to act as Severus' master when in public and Severus being the true Master in their lives but Harry had faith that they could work it out. Severus lightly squeezed Harry's hand. "Come. Show me our new rooms. This is where we will be staying now, is it not?"

Harry nodded. "Yes Sir. I will not be returning to the Dursley house and it would not be safe for me to go to Hogwarts right now. Will Dumbledore be upset if you stay here for a while?"

"I have already arranged to be away from Hogwarts for the remainder of the holiday. I do not need to return to the school until a few days before school starts again. Will you ever return to Hogwarts? I am sure that the DADA position is yours for the asking."

"What do you think I should do?" Harry asked, unwilling to decide on his own. He knew that his Master would know best what he should do. He had already been forced to make too many decisions on his own and it had exhausted him, not only physically and emotionally but spiritually as well. He needed to hand some power back over to Severus. He needed to give up his control in at least one portion of his life. Handing control over to Severus allowed him to take up the duties that had been loaded on him in the other aspects of his life without the soul numbing weariness setting in. Handing over his personal life in one lump movement to Severus Snape had given him the strength to assume his massive list of responsibilities in other areas on his life: namely, his public life.

"We will discuss it tomorrow pet, perhaps with Voldemort and Lupin, should you wish it. For now, we will bathe and then sleep. You look as if you haven't been sleeping again." He led the boy to the bathroom and motioned for him to start the bath for them. Harry immediately knelt on the floor to adjust the taps to the correct temperature and added some scented oils, then turned to address Severus' implied question about his sleeping habits.

"My negotiations with Voldemort have been long and tedious and largely done in the dark of night when we could meet through our link without risking anyone noticing that we had entered into trance-like states. We are both of us a bit temperamental and set in our ways. We had much to discuss about the past and what we intend to happen in the future before we could reach an agreement. I…I'm sorry I didn't ask—"

"You will stop apologizing immediately," Severus said sharply. "Tomorrow we will begin to go over everything that you have discussed with the Dark Lord and make certain that it is all appropriate. You did well, seeking him out for an alliance. You used your strengths and manipulated the situation to give yourself more power as a true Slytherin would. I am proud of you."

Harry smiled softly at his praise and started unbuttoning the long string of buttons on Severus' shirt when Severus motioned that he was ready. He breathed in sharply as more pale skin was revealed. He had always found his Master's milky complexion incredibly erotic. He longed to touch him but knew that he shouldn't until he had been granted permission. This was invariably one of the most difficult parts about bathing Severus. Severus had skin that looked as if the sun had never touched it. It was gorgeous in it's virgin purity, made even more erotic by the scars marring it, clear evidence that he was anything but pure.

Harry slid the jacket and shirt off of Severus' arms and knelt down to undo the trousers. Severus was half hard from the light touches as Harry undressed him but had not yet made any indication that Harry was allowed to do anything with what the heavy black material was currently concealing. Harry breathed in deeply, enjoying his Master's scent as he slowly slid the trousers down, carefully taking them off and folding them up again.

Severus never wore boxers or pants so he stood there naked in front of his kneeling submissive. He ran his fingers through Harry's long curls, pulling the leather cord out. He loved Harry's long hair. While it had been short it was a chaos of uncontrollable messiness, making him look like a street urchin. When he had grown it longer though he had gained a bit of control over it, although it was still perpetually messy. The thick, wild curls were beautiful on the already stunning boy.

Harry had grown to a satisfying 5'9"—not, perhaps, as tall as he would have liked but completely remarkable given his upbringing and his parentage. He had a perpetual deep golden tan, largely due to heredity. It was little known but Harry was part Incubus, his creature blood gained through his birth father, Sirius Black. When Severus had heard his lover's new title he had barely concealed his smirk. The Black Prince, indeed.

Harry had never told him how he had discovered that Black was his Father; he had merely revealed the truth a short time into their relationship when Severus had asked him if he was entirely human. He had always felt the sexual pull toward Harry to be a bit extreme and didn't understand why he wanted the boy so desperately. Harry had nervously explained his heritage, prepared for rejection since he knew that Severus hated his Father.

Severus had been shocked, to say the least. Not to learn that Black was part Incubus, he had always known that there was something odd about any boy who managed to seduce literally three quarters of the school to his bed. He had never suspected that Lily Evans Potter would succumb to Black's seduction as nearly everyone else in Hogwarts at the time had. Evidently though, she had not been strong enough to avoid it. She had a lengthy affair with Black and Harry had been the result. She had placed a weak but long lived charm over him, altering his features only slightly but enough to fool anyone who was looking for the Potter genes. It had been wearing off since Harry had entered the Wizarding World and had done so gradually enough that no one had noticed anything out of the ordinary for any boy going through the massive changes that puberty always caused.

The end result, once the charm was completely gone, was gorgeous. Severus was always slightly amazed that the beautiful creature wanted him. He decided not to question it too closely though and simply enjoy the boy while he could. He not only had a nearly uncontrollable sexual desire as an Incubus but he also had the inherent need for control and discipline, both things that Severus was able to well satisfy. He helped Harry keep his sexual urges somewhat restrained while he provided him with the order and control that he yearned for. He knew that the part Incubus was no doubt struggling desperately to reign in his desires right now. It had been almost a month for the two lovers and Harry literally _needed_ to have sexual contact with his lover in order to remain in control. He found himself proud of the hard work that Harry had done and continued to do to control his urges.

Severus and Harry rarely spoke of his parentage outside of the realm of discussing his creature blood. It was a touchy subject for them and they both felt it best to sidestep it unless it was necessary. Severus had never pushed for more details about how Harry had found out about his parentage and Harry had never pushed for a post mortem forgiveness for past wrongs.

Severus knew though that it was likely that those days of silence on the subject would soon be over as Voldemort and his lover would no doubt wish to flaunt his new heritage over his old. Although Sirius Black had not been a Dark wizard he did at least come from a long line of elite Dark wizards and he had long been known to walk the line between light and Dark. James Potter, on the other hand, was tenaciously wrapped around Dumbledore's proverbial finger and so firmly entrenched on the side of the light that he was almost a joke among the other purebloods who knew that there was more to magic than simple light and Dark.

Severus stepped into the warm water and held out his hand to help Harry into the deep bath. He leaned back into the warm water, motioning for Harry to begin washing him. Harry slowly washed the older man, taking care to clean him thoroughly while trying not to linger long enough to get in trouble. It had taken him many long months to be able to have enough discipline to do this correctly. His Master's pale skin had always tempted him, simply begging to be touched and tasted. When he finished Severus took the wet cloth from him and pulled him back into him, resting against his chest. Severus' washed Harry just as thoroughly but perhaps more efficiently.

He set the cloth aside and Harry, assuming that the bath was over, tried to stand up. Severus tightened his hold on the slippery boy, keeping him seated. Harry realized that Severus wished to remain in the bath for a bit longer and immediately leaned back into his Master, content to simply relax there—something that Severus rarely allowed. Severus smirked behind Harry. He had done such a good job this summer, keeping his urges under control. An unfed Incubus could be a dangerous thing if not in control. Harry had managed to last for a month without needing to beg his Master to come help him. Severus had planned to go to him this weekend anyhow, knowing that his stubborn pet didn't want to beg for anything.

He lightly stroked Harry's silky thighs which instantly fell open at his gentle touch. He smirked again. Evidently Harry was a bit closer to losing control than he had thought. He slowly explored Harry's muscular legs, getting no closer to his prize than he was when he started and thoroughly frustrating Harry in the process.

Harry squirmed lightly, eager for more. He felt Severus' arms tighten once again around him, silently ordering him to stay still. After a few more minutes of torment the large hand suddenly closed tightly around his aching length, slowly stroking from root to tip and back down again. Harry shuddered lightly in his Master's firm grasp, desperate for more.

Severus tightened his grip on the throbbing cock, knowing that Harry was close already from his long weeks of forced abstinence. He sped his strokes up, tearing a deep groan out of Harry as he struggled to stay still. Severus was content that Harry would behave for the moment so he let go of his tight hold on Harry's hip and brought his hand down to his lover's cleft, stopping along the way to enjoy a light brush against his cleanly shaven balls. His finger slowly circled the dark pucker and it was too much for Harry and he came with a stifled yell.

Harry fell back against his Master bonelessly, barely able to keep his eyes open. After he recovered he tried to turn to Severus to return the favor but Severus once again held him down. Harry struggled for a moment against his strong grip and was rewarded with a sharp pinch on his hip. Harry sighed softly. Most of the time he loved his Master's superior strength but at times like this it frustrated him. "Later, pet," was Severus' only reproach. Harry blushed lightly, knowing that his frustration had been blatantly clear to his Master. He knew better than to push when he wasn't given permission. He must have been closer to losing it than he had originally thought to make such a rookie mistake.

Severus silently indicated to Harry that the bath was over and Harry stood and grabbed a towel. He cast a quick warming charm on it, and began drying off his mate, once again struggling to keep his hands to himself. When he was finished Severus allowed him to dry himself off and then follow him into the bedroom. They were just getting into bed, hopefully to enjoy a nice long fuck, when someone knocked at the door.

Harry looked at Severus for confirmation that he was allowed to assume his position as the Black Prince. Severus nodded minutely, and pulled on a black dressing gown. Harry grabbed a silver one and tied it tightly around his waist. "Enter," he said coldly, already adopting a completely different persona immediately.

Lucius entered hesitantly. "The Dark Lord wishes to speak with you, Prince, if you do not mind." He noted that both the Black Prince and Severus were only in dressing gowns and appeared to have just left the bathroom that was still emitting steam from their hot bath but he refrained from comment. He did not yet know how volatile his new leader would be and he did not want to risk punishment for inappropriate questions or comments. Asking inappropriate questions about his sex life was a sure ticket to punishment.

"I see. And did the Dark Lord tell you what this is about?" Lucius started to shake his head but stopped when Harry's eyes flashed red for a moment. Once his eyes were green again Harry nodded. "You may tell him that I will meet him in the war room."

Lucius looked at him warily but quickly left the room, eager to be as far away as possible from the eerie young man. He was no longer ashamed to admit that the Prince more than unnerved him—he terrified him at times. Those uncanny green eyes that seemed to glow with the light of the Killing Curse always seemed to promise death with but a glance. The chilling face, rarely showing emotion, was unnatural in anyone, but in one so young it was ungodly. Not even the Dark Lord could preserve a mask as masterful as the one the new Prince could. Lucius had seen the changes in the Boy Who Lived as they had happened over the years and he had always found that they made him uncomfortable. Now they downright terrified him.

After the door was shut Severus turned to Harry. "What exactly was that pet?" He had noticed his lover's eyes change color and he was concerned. He had never seen such a reaction in Harry before.

"I am sorry, Sir. When Voldemort and I communicate our eyes change colors—mine to red, his to green. We try to stay out of each other's minds though, or at least not enter without prior notice. We started that bit of our agreement almost as soon as I approached him with the idea of an alliance. At the time it was a sign of goodwill and trust but now he knows that we are in a relationship. He didn't want to just jump in without knowing that we weren't having a private discussion or…busy. So he sent Lucius."

Severus nodded. "I see. Return to these rooms immediately when your meeting is finished."

"Would you like to come with me, Sir?"

"No, you may do this on your own. If you decide you need me then send a messenger to let me know and I will come. You will need to have these meetings often without me. When you step outside these rooms you need to be the Black Prince, I understand. I will release you from your duties when it is necessary for you to be in public."

Harry nodded and looked up hesitantly at Severus, clearly wanting a kiss but knowing that he should wait until his Master felt that he deserved one. He had broken many of their most important rules by keeping the secrets that he had recently. He blinked sadly: he probably didn't deserve any kisses. He surely hadn't deserved his Master's wonderful touches earlier while they were in the bath. Sometimes he wondered why such an extraordinary man put up with him.

Severus bit back a small smile at Harry's distress and stepped closer, pulling him roughly to himself as he gave him a brutal kiss. Harry's moan was swallowed by Severus as he forced him into a very willing submission. Once he deemed his pet thoroughly kissed Severus stepped back, raising an eyebrow when Harry took a half step forward, clearly wanting more. Severus lightly smacked him on his pert ass. "Go. Don't keep him waiting too long."

Severus watched his lover get ready for his meeting. He didn't bother to dress—he was the Black Prince and no one could question anything that he did. This was his home now and he could do as he wished in it. Harry merely straightened out his silvery robe and tightened the silk belt around his slim waist.

Harry turned toward the door, straightened his shoulders, held his head high and closed his expression completely once again. Cold light shone from his eyes and his face was devoid of any expression. Severus barely held back his shudder, unused to seeing his loving boy look so cold and distant. The Black Prince was ready to face the world.


	4. Planning the Mission

Chapter 4 

Harry made his way quickly to the war room, having memorized the layout of headquarters months ago in preparation for the day that he was finally able to make his entrance as the Black Prince. Death Eaters scurried out of his path and watched him warily from darkened halls. His icy expression made them shudder in fear. Somehow, dressed only in a dressing gown with his hair falling in thick ringlets around his shoulders, the young man managed to look more terrifying than the Dark Lord himself.

Voldemort had been able to restore his looks, although his youth was lost forever. He looked much as he always had but now he looked as if he were in what muggles would believe to be his early fifties. His previously black hair was liberally sprinkled with silver. He had given up his quest for youth, at least for the time being. He had acknowledged to Harry early on in their discussions that he had allowed himself to be distracted from his true purpose entirely too easily. With Harry's presence the Death Eaters would see a return to their original goals rather than a focus on a tired vendetta and obtaining a more pleasing appearance for their Lord.

Harry found himself at the large door to the war room and he glared at the guard to open the door for him. Dolohov practically fell over himself in his rush to open the heavy door, eager to get his new Prince on the other side of it, safely out of punishing distance from him. Harry walked quickly into the room and caught sight of Voldemort sitting pensively before the fire and Lucius standing behind his chair. Harry ignored Lucius and nodded curtly at Voldemort. "Lord."

"Prince, thank you for coming. I apologize for disturbing your rest. I have received news from one of my spies that Dumbledore intends to go to the muggle residence tomorrow to collect you. When the team arrives to find you absent from the home it will arouse suspicions. This is far earlier than we had planned to expose anything. What do you intend to do?"

Harry was quiet for a moment and he paced restlessly in front of the fire. "We have a few options. What is probably the best is for our soldiers to make a preemptive strike, leading Dumbledore to believe that you have already snatched Harry Potter and the muggles out from under him." Lucius barely held in a shudder when he heard the Prince refer nonchalantly to Harry Potter as if he were a completely different person. It was very clear that he was not saying it in a manner to mock Dumbledore or the position that he himself had held in the eyes of the Wizarding world. He said it as if he truly saw Harry Potter as an entirely different person.

"To do that we would need to arrange an attack tonight," Voldemort said pensively. The hour was late but that hardly made a difference. They often acted under cloak of night and his soldiers were used to being roused at all hours of the night to do his bidding.

"Yes, I realize the potential difficulties of doing so but we have quite a number of soldiers here right now who could go and we have Severus and Lucius to lead the attack, if need be." The two men were the highest ranking of the soldiers; those trusted the most often with difficult and important missions. Lucius perhaps led more raids due to the long hours of Severus' job at Hogwarts and his great skill in potion making but Severus still led more raids than the average Death Eater. His incredible skill and eye for detail was unsurpassed by any.

"Hmm…what were the other options you have come up with?" the Dark Lord said as he began to think of the potential implications of the first plan. It seemed to be a good choice but he wanted to think things through a bit more thoroughly before he jumped into a plan. These first few days were crucial and one of the things that he had realized recently was that trying to move too quickly was one of the major reasons for his prior failure. Had he sat back and thought about the prophecy in greater detail when he had first heard it he would have realized it may be a set up and he wouldn't have attacked the Potters so carelessly.

"We could attack while Dumbledore's Order is at the house trying to get Harry. This concerns me for a number of reasons, not least of which is the fact that we will be staging a rather large battle in the middle of a muggle occupied area in broad daylight—a battle that could easily be avoided, no less. Risking exposure to the muggle world is the last thing that we need to be dealing with right now. We have enough to worry about with our own Ministry and the war with Dumbledore without potentially adding a second war to that list. We would also risk someone from the Order getting close enough to Harry to portkey or apparate him to their Headquarters.

"The last option, equally distasteful to me, would be to simply return to the muggle's house and allow the Order to take Harry to their Headquarters. Unfortunately, it is protected by fidelas and so you will be unable to use tracking charms. I fear this even more than the second option because it opens up too many unknowns. Once Harry is back in Dumbledore's hands it would be entirely too easy for Dumbledore to try to counter attack, should he feel the need. Harry would be completely under his control in an undisclosed and undisclosable location until such a time as he deigns to let Harry free."

"But with this last option you could remain on the inside for a while longer and still obtain information," Lucius pointed out.

"Useless drivel," the Prince snapped. "The old man never told me anything of great import before and I'll be damned if he will now. He's never trusted me, even with information I needed to know. He tells me less than he tells Severus Snape—a man whom he does not trust entirely regardless of his protestations to the contrary. No, frankly we would do better just having Snape as our inside man."

Voldemort nodded silently. "Yes, I believe you may be correct about that. I agree with you: the first option is the only acceptable one. Once we have 'Harry Potter' safely imprisoned here we have a few options that we can toy with. If nothing else it will put off our decision for a while. We can 'kill' the Boy Who Lived or else we can announce to the world that you have formally changed sides. If all else fails then we can just make it seem as if we have him imprisoned here for months or even years on end, depending on our need."

Harry turned his icy gaze over to Lucius once more, making him shudder imperceptibly. "Go send a soldier to collect Snape from my rooms." Lucius hurried to the door and relayed the message to Dolohov, who in turn scurried away to find Snape.

Upon hearing the message Severus had quickly dressed and walked to the war room, wondering why his presence was needed. He entered to see Voldemort sitting in a large leather armchair in front of the fire, Lucius sitting on the sofa near the wall and his lover pacing restlessly in front of the fireplace. Severus barely bit in his moan. Harry's every movement was full of grace and sensuality. Even in his restlessness he exuded a certain erotic aura. It was enticing and distracting and maddening all at the same time. The boy clearly needed to get laid. He was emitting a strong sexual pull and he was completely unaware of it.

He cleared his throat. "You called for me, my Lord, Prince?"

Harry turned to Severus so quickly that he was barely able to cover his alarm. His pet was such a completely different man when he was in his public role that it startled him. He knew he would get used to it with time as he had eventually become accustomed to his Boy Who Lived persona but it was still alarming. Harry clasped his hands behind his back and faced his Master full on. "You will lead an attack on 4 Privet Drive in one hour with the assistance of Lucius Malfoy, Rodolphus Lestrange, Ava Lawrence and two other soldiers of your choice. You will capture the muggles who reside there alive and return them here. Do you have any questions?"

Severus hesitated for a moment. "Pardon me for saying this Prince, but is that not the address of your muggle relatives?"

"It is," Harry said coldly. "Is that your only question?"

"I assume that we are to make it look as if we have captured you as well?"

"Yes. Do not forget that the muggles usually kept the small bedroom door locked and dead bolted with a large number of muggle locks. To make it look remotely convincing you will need to destroy each of those locks. There are people in the Order who know the usual conditions there and will know if the scene has been created poorly. Have you been made privy to the information you will need?" Harry asked, trying to find out if his lover truly knew everything about his life with the muggles. They tried not to talk about it too much but Harry knew that he might have been deemed appropriate to be told such highly classified information.

Severus nodded. "I have, Prince. I will see to it."

Harry held out his wand. "This is Harry's wand. You will need to cast a few light defense spells with it and then leave it on the floor, broken. Let them assume what they will."

"Yes, Prince," Severus said as he pocketed the phoenix feather wand, desperately wanting to question whether Harry had already gotten a replacement wand but knowing that such a question was completely outside of the realm of appropriate questions coming from a soldier, however highly protected and placed. He knew that he couldn't push Harry too far when he was in his Prince role without accepting an appropriate punishment. His lover had an army to lead and he could not brook insubordination. He knew that he could get away with more than the average soldier but he also knew that he shouldn't push it too far. It would kill his pet to ever try to discipline him.

"The owl?"

"She has been sent to Ginevra Weasley and told to remain with her until such a time as she can safely return to me. She understands what she needs to do."

"Yes, Prince."

"Who will you take with you?"

"If I may, I wish to take Bellatrix LeStrange and Draco Malfoy."

The Prince and the Dark Lord exchanged a long look, their eyes variously flashing red and green as they silently discussed the merits of his choices in conjunction with the rest of the team. It made both a bit uncomfortable at first that the two new additions were such close relations to two others on the attack force. They tried to avoid such situations because it could become difficult for them to leave someone behind when they needed to. At the same time, everyone on the list was intelligent, incredibly powerful, and their devotion was unquestioned. Finally Voldemort turned to Severus. "As you wish. You will not fail in this endeavor," he said firmly, more an order than a pep talk. "You are taking with you four of the highest ranking Death Eaters and the Malfoy heir. Failure is unacceptable."

"Of course, my Lord," Severus said, bowing low. "If I may take my leave, I will go contact the other members of the force."

"We have taken the liberty of contacting Rodolphus and Ava. I assume that Bellatrix will join her husband in the trip here as she often does but you should confirm that. You will also need to contact young Malfoy. You are excused."

Severus bowed low one more time to both men and then left the room, shortly followed by Lucius after he had gained permission to leave as well.

Harry turned back to Voldemort once the door was closed again. _I am eager to see this force in action. Pity they won't have any real fight. They should be brilliant together._

_I'm sure they will be. I often pair Ava, Bellatrix and Severus together. They balance each other out well. Bellatrix rushes into situations and gets carried away far too easily but she has the passion and the strength to win nearly any fight. Ava is one of the most brilliant witches I have ever met but she tends to hesitate too much, stalling action when she most needs to move forward. Severus is the perfect balance—brilliant, passionate, attentive…he never misses any details and he manages to analyze situations in moments when it would take anyone else long hours._

_Lucius and Rodolphus are brilliant as well, _Voldemort continued. _I haven't seen Draco in any true battle situations yet but I am sure that he will be a decent mix of his Aunt Bella and his Father. Hopefully his Father's characteristics will outweigh those that he inherited from his aunt. His impetuosity and easily sparked temper were always his weakest points as a student._

_Yes, he does struggle with both. I feel that he will be extremely focused and careful tonight though since it is his first mission. I have no doubt that he will make a good and faithful soldier once h_e receives some more training.

The two men sat in silence for a moment, thinking of the night's work ahead of them. _Were the muggles very bad this time Harry?_ Voldemort asked the Prince. They rarely used their personal names but they did so occasionally when the situation called for it. Both preferred their titles instead although they used them with a sort of friendly familiarity that belied the formality of the names they chose to use.

Harry looked up, startled. _Not more so than usual. They locked me in the room and didn't come back even once. They pushed in food through the flap, as usual. As much as they loathe the fact that I am a wizard they are damn lucky that I am one, seeing as a month without showers of the use of a bathroom would create a horrifying situation without the use of spells._

Voldemort snorted lightly. He knew that his young friend always tried to downplay his treatment at the hands of the muggles. He always let him, too. He knew all too well what it was like to have a bad home life and to wish to avoid talking about it too deeply. He had taken on a sort of surrogate uncle or brother role with the young man as they had gotten to know each other better. He made no attempt to be a father figure but they had grown to be close friends over the months of their negotiations and had often spent their time talking about themselves and their pasts rather than truly negotiating. _When we have them here, what do you wish to do with them?_

_I meant what I said earlier, Tom. They are a gift for you. Do with them what you will._

Voldemort smirked—an expression that would strike terror into most people's hearts. Harry merely chuckled. The door opened, letting in the attack force that was about to depart for their mission. Everyone was dressed in the requisite heavy black robes and each carried a silvery mask except for Draco whose mask was still pure white. It was only the elite who were granted the privilege of the silver masks. Each member of the force felt a twinge of fear, seeing their Lord smirking so evilly and their Prince laughing with an equally sinister expression.

"My Lord, Prince," Severus said, bowing low. Everyone else followed suit. "We are ready to leave for our mission. Are there any further instructions?"

"Severus, do you, Lucius and Ava feel comfortable apparating with a muggle in tow?" Voldemort asked. He knew that they were all capable of it but he wasn't sure if they were all up to it. It was an extremely exhausting bit of magic to do since there was no innate magic in the muggle to help the apparition along. It was already around three a.m. and the day had been long. He wouldn't have blamed any of them for saying that they weren't up to it.

They all nodded instead. "Bring the muggles here…alive," the Prince stressed. "Do not waste time there. Get in, do your job and get out as quickly as possible. Do not risk getting caught due to negligence."

Again, everyone nodded. "We shall return within the hour," Severus said, bowing one last time. He turned to his force and nodded, motioning them to all apparate to their destination. Harry and Voldemort settled down in the chairs once more to await their return. Harry's face was completely blank but inside his mind was whirling with fear over the way that he had addressed his Master earlier. He only hoped that he understood that it was all necessary for the role that he played as the Black Prince.

-

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A/N: Thank you again for all the reviews. I won't be able to update until Monday probably—sorry! Thanks for everything.


	5. At the Prince's House

A/N: I am so sorry about the wait. I had problems connecting to the internet last night so I couldn't post it then. Sorry! I really need to suck it up and just get DSL. Hopefully I can soon. 

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Chapter 5 

Severus and his team arrived at their destination and all were immediately repulsed by the very…muggleness of the area. Severus lead the way to Number 4 and he quickly walked up the steps and spelled open the door with a whispered _Alohomora_. Everyone followed him silently into the home, once again sneering at the things that surrounded them. On nearly every available surface there were unmoving photographs of an enormously fat boy staring blankly back at them. It was revolting. Severus nodded to his team and Ava immediately started casting silencing spells, Lucius started casting a spell to make the house appear dark even if they turned on lights, Bella cast a quick proximity warning so that they would know if anyone came within a hundred feet of the property and Rodolphus cast a dark sleeping charm over everyone muggle within the house.

Draco merely watched, as his position on this mission was more of an observational one than an active one. This was an opportunity to learn from the best and he knew better than to blow it. He was still reeling from the revelation that the Dark Lord's special ally was the Boy Who Lived himself. He internally shook his head—the Black Prince, now. He had always known that Harry was devious but he had never expected such a move from the Golden Boy. Evidently he was not all that he appeared to be. He wondered if this new persona was the real Harry Potter or if this, too, was an illusion designed to fool whoever he needed to fool.

Severus was already moving up the stairs toward his pet's former room, confident that his force would correctly perform all the necessary spells without his guidance. He arrived at the door that was still covered in locks although they were all left undone now that Harry had left and he performed quick locking spells on all of them. He intended to destroy all of them in the "fight" to get into the room but he wanted to make sure that if someone _were_ able to discern anything from the melted and blasted lock bits that they knew, for a fact, that they had been locked before they were destroyed.

The other five members of the team came upon Severus as he was locking the final one. Now that the muggles were safely asleep and unable to wake up, they spoke in normal tones. "What in nine hells are you doing, Severus?" Bella asked.

"This is our Prince's room. They lock him inside his room when he is here. The Order knows this and so I need to make arrangements appropriately. Do not do anything inside that room unless I give you permission. There are a great many details about his everyday life that you are not aware of yet and I will need to match each one exactly." Everyone nodded silently and stood still, allowing him to concentrate on his work. It was simple but they didn't want to distract him and have him miss something important. If Severus Snape admitted that there were a large number of details that they needed to match then the number of details must truly be astronomical.

Severus promptly destroyed all eight locks with blasting curses, allowing the pieces of the locks to be embedded in the walls and floor around them. It would be blatantly obvious to anyone who closely studied the fragment pattern that six figures had stood in the hallway when the locks had been destroyed.

Severus had to carefully think through every tiny aspect of this. He was, in essence, trying to set up the perfect crime scene for a crime that never took place. Alongside setting up the scene though he needed to set up a few "mistakes" like that last one which would reveal the number of soldiers in the attack force. No crime was ever perfect and if this came across as too clean then the Order might think that it had been a set up.

Severus walked into the small, dark, and filthy room slowly, careful not to disturb anything until he had studied it all. He had heard the details about the room but he had never seen it in person apart from Harry's occlumency lessons. It was worse than he had ever imagined.

The muggles had never abused his pet. Oh no, they had done something that in some ways was perhaps worse. They had never touched him in his memory. Ever. Not to help him up when he fell as a child, not a quick spanking for misdeeds, not a hug when he was sad…nothing. They locked him in his cupboard for days on end, convincing him that they couldn't hear his cries for help from outside the cupboard. Harry learned to simply stay silent. No one could hear him anyway.

Harry had entered the wizarding world emotionally broken and touch-starved. He was quiet most of the time because he simply couldn't grow accustomed to the idea that people not only could hear the words he spoke but that they _wanted_ to hear them. He craved touch in any form but was unable to articulate his needs. He didn't make a major change until the end of his fifth year when he had approached his potions master, finally ready to ask for what he needed.

Severus had reluctantly accepted his position as the boy's Master. Oh, he wanted the beautiful young man—desire had never been an issue. He had been worried about reprisals for such actions from the world if they ever heard of his relationship with the Boy Who Lived. The first few months were rocky as he started to learn the damage done to his pet and how to deal with it. He never would have admitted it at the time but just as he was able to give Harry what he needed, Harry was able to give him something that no one else had given him in many, many years. By handing over control so fully he showed his undying trust in Severus and his devotion to the surly man.

Both men lived lives that pushed them into roles that they were skilled in but needed breaks from. Harry was born to lead and he was, in fact, a brilliant leader, with a natural charisma and charm that would put the best leader to shame. Severus was in a position of service—not servitude perhaps, but definitely not an official leader regardless of how many missions he led for his prior Lord. He, too, was likewise skilled at all that he did and knew that he would not make a good leader at the larger level—he simply didn't have the diplomacy for leadership or the charisma to attract a following. Just as Harry needed a break from being an assertive personality and a leader who was responsible for the multitudes, Severus needed a break from his service and careful attention to those who were in authority positions. They were perfect for each other, each one craving what the other needed to give up.

Severus was brought back to the present by Draco's whispered "Merlin's balls!" as he took in the revolting room that had served as his new Prince's prison while he lived with his family. Everyone else looked shocked as well when they saw the tiny, bare room. _This _was where the savior of the wizarding world had lived for his entire childhood?

Severus decided that they had enough time to gawk and decided to begin work. "Draco, Ava, Bella—go down to the Prince's cupboard under the stairs and collect his trunk. You will need to destroy the locks in a similar manner. Take anything that might have value to our Prince." The three soldiers nodded and turned to go downstairs. Severus had debated leaving the trunk there but he knew that there were things in it that his pet wanted, although he probably would never have admitted it. He decided that if they truly were kidnapping the young man that they probably would have taken the trunk anyway for Voldemort to search through for anything useful or any clues about the war.

Severus, Lucius and Rodolphus turned once again to the sad little room. Harry had straightened up as much as he cared to before he left, vanishing the remains of his food, making his bed and straightening Dudley's broken toys. Lucius stepped forward and mussed the bed sheets a bit more, making it look as if the young man had been pulled from his sleep by the attack.

Severus started carefully sending spells with his pet's wand toward the general direction of the door. He sent Rodolphus to stand outside the door and hit him with a partial stunning spell so that the spell backwash on the wall would make it clear that someone had been hit in the shoulder. The Order knew that Harry was no incompetent wizard. There was no way that he could be attacked without hitting at least a few wizards. He carefully undid the damage with his own wand and then sent a few spells at Lucius who stood just inside the door and a bit to the side.

Once that was complete Severus and the men started throwing their own spells toward the bed, hitting the walls around it. Draco and the women arrived upstairs with Harry's trunk in tow, all grimly quiet at the revelations they had made by looking into the tiny cupboard downstairs. It was all too clear that the space had once served as their Prince's room. A few drawings were still taped to the walls: a man on a flying motorcycle, a snake, and a drawing of what could only be a tiny Harry with a large black dog. They were all horrified by this new knowledge.

They each privately acknowledged downstairs that obviously Severus had known what they would find down there and that he had decided that they could know the truth or else he would have collected the trunk himself. They were all elite members or else soon to be so, and they were all highly trusted individuals. They would never break their Prince's trust by gossiping about what they had found there. He had clearly known that the group would find out certain truths about him that night and he had deemed them all worthy of such information. It was no wonder that he had chosen a team entirely of elites. Each person was touched by his trust in him or herself—surprising because many of them had personally seen to his misery in years earlier. Ava perhaps not as directly as the others but even she had her hand in some of the plots over the years to hurt him. Draco especially was shocked that he had been chosen to go on this mission to his schoolboy rival's home.

"Lay on the bed, Draco," Severus ordered the young man when he spotted him standing outside the doorway. Draco thought the order odd but kept silent. He knew better than to question a direct order from his superior on such an important mission. Severus immediately sent a few spells at him, some hitting him partially and some hitting him nearly full on. Lucius helped him out of bed and quickly undid the spells, careful to hit him full on so that there would be no evidence of any spells being undone inside the room.

Draco understood after the third spell hit him that he was standing in for his Prince. He was closer to his size than anyone else. The women were both under 5'6" and the completely wrong shape which might have been able to be seen with the spell backwash. Draco was a few inches taller than Harry but was built similarly and their deception would be nearly impossible to discern. He stepped closer to the bed to make sure that none of his silvery hairs had remained on the pillow. That was the last thing they needed. He carefully removed the single silver hair that he found and placed it securely in his pocket. His hair would have instantly given him away. No one had hair like a Malfoy and his hair was still much shorter than his father's was so it would be immediately clear to the Order that he had been present if they were to find such evidence.

When Severus was satisfied with the room's work he pulled out Harry's wand once more and snapped it in two, dropping the broken wand to the floor near the door. Everyone cringed as the wand snapped. Breaking such a powerful magical object was unpleasant for anyone near it for the backlash. They knew that it needed to be done though. There was no way that the Order would believe them stupid enough to allow such a dangerous wand within a hundred yards of the Boy Who Lived while it was still in working order.

Severus silently surveyed the room. "We need some old food containers to set on the floor. Harry typically vanished the containers every few days so there should only be two or three days' worth." They all looked at his like he was insane until he nodded to the cat flap on the door. The women turned pale and the men looked murderous at such treatment of their Prince. No one deserved that, especially not their leader. "We need to find what muggles call tins of food—food that muggles have put into a round metal container to be opened and eaten later—and very old, stale food." No one bothered to question why their Prince would be given old food. Just a single glance at his living quarters answered the question for them. The group quietly went downstairs and hunted through the cupboard, looking for the type of food that Severus had been told they gave him.

Bella pulled out some old bread from the cupboard and set it on the counter. Lucius and Ava found a plate of clearly old leftovers—meatloaf and some sort of unidentifiable vegetables. Draco, Severus and Rodolphus had found the tins of food that had been described to them and struggled to open them the muggle way. Severus looked over the food that the others had found. He shook his head at Lucius. "They wouldn't have given him the meat, no matter how old it was." Ava silently put the revolting plate back, seething. Her Prince wasn't even allowed that.

Severus nodded at Bella but told her to spell the bread a bit older. He put it on the plastic plate that was stored under the sink that Harry had told him about and put the bread on it. He carefully removed the contents of the two tins of soup and the three tins of vegetables, leaving a tiny trace of them there to make it look as if the boy had eaten the contents from them. He vanished the contents that he had dumped into a bowl on the counter. After looking at the bowl for a moment in contemplation he sighed, shrunk the bowl and put it in his pocket. The Order might check the entire house for magical residue but they wouldn't think much of a few missing dishes. Everyone broke a dish or two and muggles couldn't fix them.

The small group carried their finds upstairs and set them on the floor, kicking one under the bed to make it look as if a small struggle had taken place. The plate was set on the rickety desk near the window, made to look as if Harry was saving it to give to Hedwig when she came back from delivering her letter to the youngest Weasley. Everyone knew that he worshiped the damn bird and would feel her before he himself would partake of the meager offering of food.

Since Harry had straightened the room a bit before leaving that morning Severus had to restore the general lived-in look. Severus moved around the room silently, adjusting things slightly as he went, making tiny changes. Luckily, Harry hadn't been kind enough to do any true cleaning before his departure so they only needed to worry about making sure the broken toys and Harry's few belongings weren't too well organized. When he was finished it appeared as if a young boy had been kept prisoner there for a month and had just finished a long and unbalanced fight with Death Eaters.

They were finished. "Lucius, you and Rodolphus will collect the boy. I believe it may take both of you to safely apparate him. He is…enormous. Bella, you will help me with the father. Ava, you can take the woman by yourself. Draco, we shouldn't need you to assist but do not leave until all of us have safely left in order to ensure that everyone leaves safely and then apparate from our Prince's room." Everyone nodded and went to their respective rooms. They decided to leave their silencing and privacy spells up since they weren't bothering to make it look as if it hadn't been an attack.

Lucius and Rodolphus stared in horror at the monstrosity before them. They had seen the pictures downstairs but somehow it hadn't prepared them for the reality of the boy. They both had struggled to properly look at the still photographs that muggles used and they hadn't fully understood what the boy would look like. Rodolphus sighed and used a spell to lift the boy and stand him up straight in between them. The two men cringed and wrapped their arms around the boy, focusing carefully and then apparating back to headquarters.

Severus and the women followed a similar procedure. Draco shuddered when the last of them left with the wretched muggles. For the first time in his life he felt bad for Harry Potter. He shook his pity aside quickly, knowing that not only would Harry never want his pity but also that it was not his place to pity his leader. He quickly walked back to Harry's room and apparated back to headquarters, seeing the others in his group struggling with the heavy weight of the two men. They were finally able to steady them with a multitude of lightening and lifting spells and they passed the prisoners off to other soldiers, making their way quickly to the war room to report. Exactly fifty five minutes had passed so they would arrive within the hour that Severus had claimed that they would.

Severus knocked lightly on the door and waited for a response. Voldemort called out an impatient "Enter" and Severus pushed open the door.

Harry once again stood near the fireplace and Voldemort stood a few feet away from him. "Report," Harry said coldly.

"All went according to plan, Prince. The muggles were put into a spelled sleep so they provided no problems. We set up everything according to your orders. It should be impossible for the Order to ever tell what truly happened there."

Harry nodded. "And the prisoners?"

"We passed them off to Rookwood and his company to take down to the dungeons."

The Black Prince and Voldemort nodded their understanding. "Did you have any problems?" Voldemort asked, knowing that any tiny slips could reveal their hand much earlier than they wanted to.

"None, my Lord. We brought back Harry Potter's school trunk, assuming that our Prince might want something from within it. The Order will think that you confiscated it in order to search for clues as to their plans for the war. I can help to further that theory when I next report to Dumbledore, should you wish."

The Prince looked coldly at the trunk, not even a flash of recognition breaking his carefully constructed façade. The team members reigned in their shudders at his expression. He didn't look violently displeased though so they all silently offered up prayers to the gods that they wouldn't be punished for doing this. It hadn't been part of the orders but they had all felt that he might wish to have a few of his old belongings.

"Did you search it for tracking spells?" the Prince said icily.

"Yes, Prince" Ava stepped forward. "We did so before touching it or removing it from its position. It is completely clean now."

The Prince nodded his acceptance to her. He had long known that Dumbledore placed tracking charms on his trunk. The old man had believed that Harry was unlikely to run away without trying to take his magical belongings with him. This was one of his ways of keeping an eye on Harry, supposedly without his knowledge. "You may place it in my private rooms."

"You have done well tonight, soldiers. You will be rewarded when the time comes. You are released to your homes," Voldemort said, sending them all away. Draco stood outside the room, waiting for his Father who had remained behind with Severus to speak a bit more with their leaders. After about twenty minutes the four stepped from the room and he watched in fascination as his former rival walked quickly toward his rooms, still clad only in his dressing gown and followed closely by his Potions Master who was conversing with him in low tones. Lucius grabbed his arm and pulled him away toward the floo as the Dark Lord walked to his own rooms, in the same wing as the Black Prince's.

"Father…what is going on between the Black Prince and Severus?"

"It is hardly our business, Dragon," Lucius said shortly, throwing the powder in the fire. The two quickly arrived at their manor and Lucius took a bit of time to explain what he knew about their new leader and his son's godfather. Officially, they couldn't gossip about their leaders but in the privacy of their home there was nothing wrong with a bit of conversation about them, as long as nothing that they did was denigrated.

The two Malfoys settled into comfortable chairs near the fire and accepted drinks from the house elf who immediately appeared bearing brandy. "They appear to be lovers of sorts," Lucius said suddenly. "When I went to the Prince's private rooms to ask him to come to a meeting with our Lord they were both dressed only in dressing gowns. Were they in a relationship at school?"

"Not that I ever saw. I can't imagine."

"They must have been though since it appears to be completely consensual. There has been no hint that Severus is being kept as a sex slave of any kind. He didn't seem to be uncomfortable in his Prince's private rooms, nearly completely undressed, and he stood at the Prince's side, not kneeling on the floor or tied down to the bed. His ease with the situation leads me to believe that they are familiar with each other already."

"I wonder when they got together. What an odd relationship that must be. Do you suppose that is why the Prince demanded that Severus be given to him?"

"I can only assume such. It is odd though. I can't imagine Severus belonging to anyone like that and out Prince's actions can be interpreted as nothing less than complete and total ownership. I will try to get a bit of information from Severus when I can, son. I'm sure though that he is content in the relationship or else we should know of it. Severus might not be terribly expressive but if he was forced into a slave position for our Prince's pleasure surely we would know of it."

"I can't believe that our leaders sent me on the mission. When I saw who our new ally was I was convinced that I would never rise in the ranks above common soldier, if I would be allowed to live at all. He has every reason to hate me."

"He has every reason to hate all of us. I can only assume that his treatment by the muggles and Dumbledore has convinced him to accept us with all of our previous misdeeds over the side of the Light. I am curious as to what precipitated his sudden move."

"Me too. I am beginning to think that the boy I had known as Harry Potter never really existed. The more I see of our new Prince the more I want to know about him. There is something about him that pulls you to him, don't you think?"

"There is. There has always been but it has grown significantly stronger in recent years."

The two men chatted a bit more before going upstairs to bed, exhausted after their incredibly long day. Figuring out the mystery of the Black Prince would have to wait for another day.

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A/N: Just a quick reminder to anyone who objected at my abuse comments. I am not in any way trying to "rank" the levels of abuse or decide which is worse than another. I meant by my comment that _for Harry personally_, this was the worst type of abuse. I do not believe that anyone can ever claim that one form of abuse is categorically worse than any other. Each one is terrible and completely unjustifiable in it's own right.


	6. The Morning After

A/N: A short section of this chapter was cut. The full chapter is at adult Link below. 

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Chapter 6 

Harry sighed happily in his Master's embrace. Severus held him tightly in place; his arms wrapped around him and his leg thrown over Harry's hips, keeping him still. He had missed this. He never slept as well without Severus there. He burrowed back further into Severus' warm body, soaking up the comfort that was so freely given by his Master's wonderful hold.

Severus tightened his arms around his pet's smaller body. "Good morning, Master," Harry said quietly, realizing that Severus was awake. "I'm sorry if I woke you."

Severus merely growled lightly and tucked Harry's head more firmly under his chin. Harry sighed happily in his arms, shifting a bit more to get comfortable. His wiggling rubbed against Severus' morning erection repeatedly, making him groan. "You're killing me, brat." Harry smiled softly. Last night they had been too tired for sex…or rather, Severus had decided that they were too tired. Harry was so horny that he would have had sex in his sleep if need be. He hadn't complained though and had simply settled down to sleep. He could make it for a bit more since Severus had helped him in the bath earlier in the evening. Now though…

Severus brought his arms down to his lover's bare hips and stroked lightly down his thigh, eliciting a contented purr from his pet. He smiled. He always loved the sounds that Harry made. As an Incubus he naturally made some sounds that no completely human lover would make. It was incredibly erotic.

Harry grew restless as his touch got no closer to his throbbing member. Severus stopped his gentle stroking and roughly pinched and pulled at an obliging dusky nipple as a reminder to settle down. Not a real punishment since Harry tended to enjoy it when he got a bit rougher, but he wasn't about to stop. He needed this too. He had not been pleased when they had been interrupted last night.

Harry gasped at the new sensation and thrust back into his Master, feeling his hard length as it pressed into his cleft. He was nearly desperate. "Please," he whispered. "Please, Sir." Severus decided to stop teasing his young lover, knowing that he must be close to breaking if he was begging like that. He pushed Harry onto his stomach and immediately started stretching his tight hole after grabbing the oil he had found on the table by the bed. Harry started purring again and pushed back onto his fingers, eager for more.

"Patience, pet," Severus said roughly. He didn't want to hurt Harry in his eagerness to have sex. When he deemed him prepared enough to at least avoid injury he lifted the slim hips off the bed and slowly slid in, moaning softly at the tight heat. When he was fully sheathed he stayed still for a moment, allowing Harry a moment to adjust. Harry didn't want to wait though and he pushed back hard against Severus, driving him to motion. Severus took him hard and fast, satisfying both of their urges. Severus vowed silently to never go without sex for so long again. A month without being inside his pet was ludicrous.

Harry's purring had reached a fever pitch and was punctuated by loud moans and pleas for more, alerting Severus that he was drawing close. He thrust in harder and reached around to twist his nipples brutally. Harry came with a hoarse scream; his prick never touched. Severus rode out his own orgasm, pulled from him by Harry's bucking body around his prick.

The two collapsed on the bed, panting. When Harry had collected himself again he turned back to Severus. "Thank you, Master."

"You have been very good, pet. I know that the past month has been difficult for you. I am proud of you though," Severus said, kissing Harry lightly. They rested in each other's arms for a few more moments, both ignoring the fact that the day had long since begun around them. "We should rise, Harry," Severus finally said reluctantly. "We have another busy day ahead of us." It was already late in the day, nearly lunchtime. They hadn't gotten to bed until early in the morning but they both needed to get up and see to their duties. Severus, no doubt, would be called to Dumbledore's side soon. Harry too had many new duties in his capacity as a leader of the Dark.

The two slowly climbed out of bed and dressed. Harry pulled on one of the hundreds of robes that Voldemort had ordered for him in preparation for his arrival. He chose a dark silver one with black snakes swirling and twisting around the hem. Severus watched silently as his pet assumed his Black Prince persona with each article of clothing that he put on. By the time he pulled his messy curls back into a loose ponytail he was a completely different man from the affectionate lover who had just left his bed. Severus too had assumed his outside persona, putting on the surly expression that everyone was accustomed to seeing him with.

The two walked to the door and Severus opened it for the Prince, startling the guards who stood outside the door. Last night Severus had permanently spelled quiet so the guards had heard nothing from their morning activities. The Prince led the way to the dining room and sat down next to the Dark Lord, nodding his greeting to the few who had been deemed worthy to join their leaders in a meal. Voldemort, too, had just risen so he had decided to serve breakfast rather than lunch. Everyone present was an elite member. Draco was the only person present who was not elite but since the death of his mother he had been allowed to accompany his Father when he came to Headquarters.

"I believe that Dumbledore's Order has discovered that Harry Potter and the muggles are missing from Surrey. You will need to go to him soon and report your findings, Severus," Voldemort said after Harry and Severus had begun eating.

"Of course, my Lord. Shall I report that I heard rumor that they had been captured or shall I claim to have seen them in the dungeons?"

"You will report only rumor," Harry said. "If you claim to have seen where they are being held then he will blame you for not freeing Harry."

Severus nodded. "Tell the old man that you are not entirely trusted by your Lord right now and that he has not revealed much information to you recently. Ask leave to stay at our Headquarters to try to regain some footing among the Death Eaters. That will keep you safe for some time and you will only have to make reports to him a few times a week to keep him updated with the information we want to give him," Harry continued.

Severus nodded again. "I had already gained permission to stay away from the school for the remainder of the holiday but having permission to stay here will be better since I will be unreachable by their own authorization. I will broach the subject when I meet with them."

"While you are here Severus, by your Prince's permission, of course, I would like for you to instruct a few of the children in more advanced potions work. You would only tutor those who show great promise, of course," Voldemort said, finding it strange for the first time to have to ask for Severus to do something rather than order it.

Harry nodded his agreement but qualified it. "You will decide who you instruct, Severus," he said, making it clear that Severus would only teach those he deemed worthy of it and who he wished to work with. Voldemort quickly agreed and Severus nodded as well, relieved that he would have the final say in the matter. He loathed teaching advanced work to students who simply couldn't cut it. He understood that potions were difficult for some people but he could not abide unskilled students trying to do the work of masters and then complaining when they failed.

The Prince addressed the rest of the elite for the first time since he had entered. "I want a few of you to go out and see if the public yet knows of Harry Potter's disappearance. Bring back reports of what angle people are taking with it. If it is not yet public knowledge then we would do better to make it so ourselves. If we are the ones to start the rumors then we can ensure that Dumbledore is made out to be negligent in his care for their Savior. This will be a good opportunity to start discrediting him."

Voldemort nodded his approval at the Black Prince's words. This was one place where Harry was much more skilled than him—planning out things well in advance. His struggle could be seen in many things, not least of all his mad rush to kill Harry as a baby leading to his own near death. He tended to realize things like this after the opportunity had passed.

It had never occurred to him to take this time to start destroying the old man's reputation but it was a perfect time to do so. The Prince, though, was able to understand how all of the tiny threads would ultimately create a huge and complex tapestry. He was an expert at weaving it together to make the picture that he wanted whereas Voldemort was more skilled at interpreting the nearly finished product and deciding what he wanted to change.

Voldemort spoke up to hand out the duties. "Lucius, take Draco to the ministry and start listening there. If nothing has been said yet then you will start rumors there. Ava, Cassandra, you will go to Diagon Alley and do the same. Bella, Rodolphus, Augustus, you will go to Knockturn Alley. Mancur, take some of the younger soldiers with you to Hogsmeade. Allow them to gossip about what happened over drinks but watch them carefully to make sure that they do not speak out of turn about things that should not be mentioned yet. Do not allow them to mess this up."

Everyone nodded their understanding and quickly finished their meals. The Black Prince and Voldemort stood at the same time, signaling that the meal was over. Everyone immediately set down their silver and hurried to do as they had been ordered. "Lord, there are a few things that I wish to discuss with you" the Black Prince said softly as everyone was leaving. Voldemort nodded and the two walked to a private study.

Both men settled down in comfortable chairs before Harry started talking. "I believe that you know of my true parentage?" Voldemort nodded but didn't say anything. "I am tired of maintaining the Harry Potter charade. I wish to step forward as Dorian Black, if you believe it to be a good decision."

Voldemort sat in silence for a few minutes, thinking of the implications. "I assume that Dorian Black is your true birth name?" The Black Prince nodded silently. "Will you tell me how you discovered Sirius Black to be your father?"

"The entire thing was rather undramatic. Lily Evans listed Sirius as my father on my birth certificate as well as my birth name. No one ever bothered to look at that since James Potter proclaimed to anyone who would listen that he had a son that had just been born named Harry. He never knew the truth."

"But how did you discover it?"

"I found my birth certificate when I was young…perhaps eight, in an old box of her belongings. I knew that Lily Evans was my mum and I knew my birth date. That was enough to convince me that this was baby, this Dorian, was really me. When Sirius escaped Azkaban I asked him if he knew that I was his son and he did. He had escaped largely because he knew that he had to get to me. He had spent the first ten years or so in a stupor of some sort—we believe that Dumbledore placed some sort of spell on him. When he 'awoke' he started working immediately to get to my side. He knew I was in danger if I was near Dumbledore."

"I see." Voldemort quietly pondered the situation for a few more minutes. "I think that there could be some definite benefits to exposing this to the Death Eaters. There are a few who still seem a bit hesitant to fully accept a Potter as their leader. This might dispel any lingering doubts."

"You should probably know, Tom, that I am not entirely human."

Voldemort looked up sharply at this. "What creature blood do you carry? I could sense a bit but I wasn't able to pinpoint it."

"I am part Incubus, inherited from my Father."

Voldemort inhaled sharply. He had read a few rumors of humans who had successfully mated with an Incubus and then conceived. The stories all reported that the child in question had driven those near him to madness when he went through puberty because he had been unable to control his sexual pull. Those who were close to him had ended up literally insane with desire when the pull had grown too strong and they as well as the young men all died gruesome deaths. Obviously his father had managed to do make it through puberty as well as Harry had but from what he had heard he managed it only by fucking half of the school in the process. He had heard no such rumors about the son. Har…Dorian must have an iron control over his pull if he had made it successfully through puberty. The young man was simply amazing.

"Do you wish to reveal this to the Death Eaters?"

"Do you believe that it would hurt or help me?" Dorian asked, unsure what their reaction would be. They openly embraced most forms of magical creature unlike the Ministry and the side of the light but he was something completely different and largely unknown among the wizarding population.

Voldemort thought for a few moments. "I think we should tell them. Many of them carry some creature inheritance and it will make them feel better that one of their leaders does as well."

The Black Prince nodded. "I am anxious to hear the reports from the soldiers about the rumors," he said, clearly changing the subject.

Voldemort agreed. "I am curious to see how Dumbledore had been trying to cover this up. I have no doubt that will be his first reaction to the situation. His pathetic attempt to cover it up will only make him look worse."

"We should call another meeting of at least the elite to explain some of our plans to them tonight or tomorrow—preferably tonight. If we keep them in the dark for too long then they will grow nervous. I am perfectly aware that most of them were unnerved to think of me as one of their leaders. They need to see us operating together a few times in order to grow truly confident in our new leadership. It will also lay to rest some of the concerns that will no doubt appear due to our most recent actions."

"We should assemble the elite for a dinner tonight at seven to explain some of our long term plans. We could follow that with a meeting with the rest of the soldiers. I assume that the rumors that our elite are currently spreading will shake the world enough for the papers to publish late editions. The soldiers will have already read about it in the papers by then. I would prefer to lay any concerns to rest tonight rather than allow them to fester."

"I agree. Dumbledore's followers are constantly operating blindly and it is a major weakness. No one ever knows what the other is doing. Dumbledore believes he is protecting his actions by doing this but in truth he merely breeds discontent."

"Do you wish to reveal your true parentage tonight?"

Dorian thought for a moment. "No, at least not to everyone. I will tell those invited to the elite dinner but that it all. It will be too much turmoil for the rest. Their whole world has been violently shaken in the last twenty four hours. I will wait a few weeks before revealing the truth to the rest."

"That is probably prudent. Many would react well but it might prove to be too much for some of them. They need some level of familiarity in order to keep operating."

A knock on the door interrupted them. "Enter," Voldemort called out, both men sitting up straighter in their chairs and assuming the appropriate demeanor. Severus and most of the elite who had been given tasks that morning entered. Evidently they had completed all of their assignments. "Report."

Severus spoke first. "Dumbledore and the Order are in hysterics, just as you both had assumed. He is furious that you beat him to Harry. To our benefit, he is now more convinced than ever that I am faithful since the leak about his scheduled pickup clearly didn't come from me since he never told me his plan. I was able to berate him for keeping such important information from me, claiming that I could have prevented it from happening if I had forewarning.

"He proclaimed the missing trunk only a small loss since he knows that it contains James Potter's invisibility cloak and a magical map that was made by Black, Potter, Lupin and Pettigrew. Other than that, he didn't think there was anything of value in it. He is currently scrambling to cover the fact that Potter has been abducted from under his very nose. The Order is furious that the so called blood protections amounted to absolutely nothing and that their precious Savior was forced to live with the wretched muggles for nothing."

He looked nervously at his pet as he said the last bit. He knew that Harry was well aware that the blood protections had always been bogus but it was difficult hearing that your wretched childhood had been for nothing more than to satisfy a cruel man's sadistic streak. Harry had long known that but it was harder sometimes hearing such truths said aloud. To his credit, the Prince didn't even twitch at the news, he merely nodded.

"Lucius?"

Lucius stepped forward, Draco following closely behind. "We found that the Ministry was completely clueless about the matter. I kindly informed them that I had heard a rumor that Harry Potter had been abducted from his muggle residence. They quickly organized a force of aurors that included a few of our own to go and investigate the situation. I mentioned to their head, Edgeworth, that Dumbledore had long touted the great blood protections that he had placed over the muggle residence making it impossible for the boy to be attacked while living with the muggles. He was ill pleased to find out that Dumbledore had been so careless with a student's welfare, especially the Boy Who Lived."

The Prince turned to Lord Voldemort. _Is Edgeworth light?_ he hissed softly.

_He proclaims himself to be neutral but is, in fact, leaning more toward the Dark than anything._

_I am sure that once they are through 'helping' the Order investigate that there will be nothing left to find,_ he said, grinning evilly. The elite members shuddered. Voldemort let out a sibilant laugh, finding the situation equally amusing. He turned abruptly back to his soldiers.

"Ava and Cassandra?"

"Diagon Alley was silent," Cassandra said. "We decided to have a conversation over coffees in front of a small café. Before we even had our cups refilled the street was buzzing with the news. The people are ready to revolt against Dumbledore. His support grown thin."

"Very good, ladies. Bella?"

"About the same in Knockturn Alley. We didn't bother to trick people into eavesdropping though, we merely told a few carefully chosen individuals of the truth. By the time we left everyone in the alley knew the whole story. Most of them were already sympathizers with our side but it may have even won us a few more recruits among those who had been hesitant to chose a side before. They were all pleased to hear of you outsmarting the old man like that."

The door opened again, this time emitting Mancur Olsen. He quickly bowed and joined the group of elite soldiers who were giving their reports.

"How did the soldiers do in Hogsmeade, Mancur?" the Prince asked.

"Very well. I brought five of our most recent graduates and took them out to Rosmerta's bar. The story spread quickly. It seems that the town loves Harry Potter and they were outraged with Dumbledore for endangering the boy as he had. Evidently someone had overheard Harry asking permission to get an apartment in Hogsmeade after graduation and Dumbledore forcing him to move back with the muggles, claiming that he would be safe there. That rumor had already spread quickly a few weeks ago. With this one on top of it the whole town is ready to lynch the old man."

Voldemort and Severus had both glanced at the Prince when they had heard of this first rumor, no doubt carefully orchestrated by Harry a month ago in order to strengthen his claim over the residents of Hogsmeade when the time came. The young man operated in so many layers at once that it was dizzying. He had known, even then, that one day he would need for that rumor to already be widespread and had created it accordingly. Absolutely brilliant.

"Very good, Mancur. Reward the soldiers accordingly," the Prince said.

"Tonight we wish for all of you, and the rest of the elite, to join us for dinner before the meeting. There are a few aspects of our plans that we wish to reveal to you as well as some information about your Prince. You will join us at seven p.m." Voldemort did not bother to couch his order in terms of an invitation or a request. Everyone knew that it was a command anyway.

Everyone quickly bowed to show their thanks and left. Severus once again followed his pet toward their quarters to get ready for this dinner.

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A/N: Link to the full chapter: http // adultfan . nexcess . net / aff / story . php ? no (equals) 544199354 & chapter (equals) 6

(Erase the spaces and put in equal signs where indicated) Review!


	7. Dorian Black

A/N: Thanks to the reviewer who pointed out that my Parseltongue wasn't working for some reason. I guess it somehow turned into some sort of html and was erased completely, at least for some of you. To fix it I've put Parseltongue in italics from here on out and I'm going back to fix it. Sorry! 

It was also brought to my attention that the equal signs that were in my link didn't appear. I think I've fixed that too. Sorry for that as well. AFF if a more confusing website than this one (for me—I'm practically computer illiterate), hence all my troubles. I'm trying to fix all of them. Please keep telling me about problems so I can go back and fix them.

Thanks for all of the reviews!

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Chapter 7 

Harry swallowed hard. "Master? There is something I need to tell you."

"Yes?" Severus took in the worried expression on his pet's face as he looked up at him. Severus was sitting in a chair by the fire and Harry knelt on the ground beside him. Harry was growing more and more worried as he tried to find the right words to tell him what he and Voldemort had decided earlier today. Severus sighed lightly and patted his thigh, urging Harry to lean against him, knowing that Harry often did better with these 'confessions' when he couldn't feel his Master's penetrating gaze. Severus took out the tie that bound his curly hair back and started lightly running his fingers over the curls. "Tell me what is bothering you, pet."

"We decided to tell the elite of my true parentage tonight at dinner. I will be assuming my birth name," Harry said all in one breath.

Severus' hand never wavered. He had been expecting this. "I see. You have never told me your birth name. What is it?" he asked calmly. He had been curious for quite a while but had been unwilling to bring the topic up again without a clear sign from Harry that he wished to talk about it. They, by mutual but unspoken consent, tried to avoid speaking of Sirius Black. His loss was still fresh to Harry and Severus still found even the memory of the man insufferable.

"Dorian Black."

"A lovely name for a lovely boy. I quite approve. Are you worried about telling them, is that what has you so upset?"

"No Sir. I…I was worried you would be mad at me. I know you don't like my Father much. I didn't think you would want a daily reminder of him."

"You already look quite similar to him, pet. I already have a daily reminder of him." Harry turned pale and Severus hurried to calm him. "It clearly doesn't bother me or I should have told you earlier. I believe that I now understand why your Father and I disagreed so violently when we were younger." Harry made a low inquiring noise but didn't move. "I have a feeling that he somehow knew that I was off limits to him, that I was intended for someone else. Perhaps something in me also pushed me away from him."

"You think that the fact that you're my mate prevented you from getting along?" Harry asked as he looked up at his Master, then went rigid when he realized what he had said. Merlin, he had just admitted out loud that Severus was his mate, his intended, the only person who could satisfy his cravings with ease.

Severus laughed lightly. "I've long known that I was your mate, pet. Did you think I had missed that fact? I knew by the time you were sixteen and hadn't left me for someone else that I was your mate." Harry blushed and ducked his head again, leaning once more against his Master's strong thigh. He couldn't believe he had thought Severus would have missed that. They might not know much about Incubi but like most magical creatures they typically knew who their mate was by the age of sixteen. Incubi were lucky in the fact that they physically could have sexual relationships with others who were not their mates and they would not die without them but it was only through sexual acts with their mates that they could truly find satisfaction, both for their appetites and for their desires. Sex with others would always leave them hungry and it was possible that if they stayed away from their mate for too long then they might go mad, although no one that Dorian or Sirius had heard of had ever tested it.

"It isn't quite as simple as you made it out to be," Severus continued. "I don't think that we hated each other because I was destined to be your mate. I think that we clashed and were somehow internally encouraged to disagree with each other to ensure that we didn't wind up in a relationship of any sort as he did with nearly every other person that he knew. I was never attracted to him and I found that strange, given that I was definitely gay and I was well aware of the fact that literally the entire rest of the school was panting for him. Something inside us kept us apart, keeping me free for you. Had he survived to know that you and I had found each other I have no doubt that our relationship would have calmed down greatly once you and I had joined."

Harry nodded. "I understand Sir. You might be right. I wish there was more known about Incubi." Severus nodded but did not comment. He had long since wished for more information about his unusual lover. Much of it had to be learned as they went along. Black hadn't had much time to impart his knowledge to his son before he died. He had managed to explain some of what he would face to him but had not told him everything yet. Some of it he had wanted to wait until Harry was a bit older to tell him and in his desire to wait had lost the chance entirely with his untimely death.

They sat in silence for a while longer, merely enjoying being together. Finally Severus stood. "We should get ready pet. We need to be there shortly."

Harry nodded and started redressing. He had stripped off most of his clothes upon entering the room. He always felt more comfortable without clothes on—an effect, no doubt, of his Incubus heredity. Severus pulled on his robe, the only thing that he had removed, and turned to help his lover. Harry carefully donned his Black Prince mask and nodded once to his Master that he was ready, silently asking Severus to open the door for him, subservient even when he was taking charge of his Master.

The two walked quickly to the dining room where the rest of the elite waited. Voldemort entered just after them, nodding his greeting to them both. The Prince and the Dark Lord moved as one and took the two seats that occupied the head of the large table. Severus took the seat immediately to his lover's left while Lucius took the seat to Voldemort's right. Everyone else was seated quietly, automatically filling in the other seats according to a sort of internal ranking that had never been voiced.

Once everyone had been served and the house elves cleared out except for their representative who had been invited, as always, to listen in on the meeting the leaders decided to begin. "As you all know," Voldemort began, "last night we received information from one of our spies that Dumbledore and the Order intended to pick up Harry Potter from his relatives this morning. The Prince and I decided to make a preemptive strike and abduct the muggle relatives and stage a fight scene in the house, making it appear that we had carried Harry Potter off along with his relatives.

"Our attack was led by Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy with the assistance of Ava Lawrence, Rodolphus Lestrange, Bellatrix Lestrange and Draco Malfoy. They successfully simulated a fight scene and left the remains of Harry Potter's wand in his room as evidence for the Order to find in the morning. They met with no resistance and were able to complete their task quickly, gaining no notice and leaving no damning evidence behind apart from that which they wanted the Order to find."

The Prince picked up from here. "The muggles are now safely locked away in the dungeons. Dumbledore and his Order discovered what happened at around 11.20 a.m. Severus Snape went to him to 'report' what he had heard among the other Death Eaters about the abduction. Dumbledore's faith in Snape, which had wavered earlier in the year, has been fully restored. While Snape was finding out information from the Order we sent others of the elite to scout out the wizarding world's reaction to the situation—or, if there were no reaction yet, to spread rumors about what had happened. We have successfully pervaded the major areas of the wizarding world with our rumors that hint at Dumbledore's incompetence and his culpability in the entire situation."

"Are there any questions about what has happened so far or what this may help to bring about?" Voldemort asked quietly. The general ranks of soldiers would be shocked at how he operated these meetings with his elite. The elite were only rarely punished for mistakes and were often encouraged to debate with him. He had chosen them for their fidelity as well as their keen intelligence, incredible skill and power. He respected each one of them and always listened to their points and arguments, although it was always clear that any final decisions were his and his alone. Well, his and the Black Prince's, now.

"What is the purpose of taking the muggle relatives?" Danius Leid spoke up.

"They were my gift to your Lord in celebration of our alliance," the Prince said coldly.

Bellatrix spoke up irritably, remembering the horrible truths that she had learned last night. "They are muggles of the worst kind. They are magic haters and close minded bastards on the same line as Dumbledore. That should be reason enough for you, Danius."

"I meant no harm," he quickly assured her, "I merely wondered what their value, if anything, was."

"They hold no information that will be of use to us. They, however, wish to destroy all magic and all those who use it. They will not be tolerated," Voldemort hissed. The more intelligent of the elite immediately understood his implications, knowing that if they had been Harry Potter's caretakers and they had wanted to destroy magic then they had likely tried to do so in him. They would question their leaders' judgement no more on the matter.

Voldemort decided to begin their true business. "The Prince and I called this meeting tonight to alert you to our future plans, at least in brief. With our alliance our stance in the war has changed greatly. We will now be aiming our attack more at the institution of the Ministry and at Dumbledore himself rather than at individual muggles or those who are friendly with muggles. It is our belief that this is the way to truly take over our society.

"Once we have taken down the government we will have the perfect access to make the changes that need to be made in our society. With Dumbledore dead we will be able to take over influence at the schools, stopping the brainwashing that Dumbledore has been controlling for the past fifty years," Voldemort finished.

Harry spoke again, offering a deeper explanation. "The most important thing though right now and in the next year will be to build our base. We don't necessarily need more soldiers, we need a greater base of wizards and witches who understand and support the true Dark mantra. This means that we will be sending some of you out on long missions to try to educate the populace of our true purpose, destroying the lies that Dumbledore has been telling them since they were students at Hogwarts." 

The elite nodded slowly, finding more sense in this new plan than in the old plans that Voldemort had come up with. "Pardon me, Prince, but who will take over Dumbledore's position in the school once we have gotten rid of him?" Lucius asked.

"We have not decided yet. We must wait until the public is ready to lose Dumbledore or else we risk turning him into a martyr. Once that time comes, we will reassess the situation and our own elite and see if there is anyone who would be appropriate to put in the position. Severus is already stationed at Hogwarts which makes it convenient to consider him but we also have many witches and wizards on the Board and others who hold important positions in society who are not without the accomplishments needed to be a good Headmaster or Headmistress."

"Ultimately, that is something that will need to be decided as the time draws near. We cannot even guess right now when we will be ready to kill Dumbledore without having the public mourn his loss. Much of this plan is simply a basic outline for how we will be running our operations now, not a true battle plan. We felt it important for you to know the basic details though to aid you in your decision making on a day to day basis as you encounter situations where there are multiple possible reactions. For now, until we alert you to any changes, always choose to act as reasonable, intelligent, strong members of society who only want to better the positions of those around them. There have been times in the past when I have advocated acting like bullies or thugs but that will no longer be the case. You _must_, at all times, appear to be the people who truly have your neighbors' best interests in mind—more so than the Ministry, more so than Dumbledore, more so than anyone of the light."

Everyone again nodded their understanding, quietly assimilating this new information. It was a relief, knowing that the war would be run like this. This was what they had always wanted. They had joined the Dark forces in order to effect change, not to torture people to death for fun. They might still enjoy torture but they wanted to do more. It was also a relief to have the war focused on something other than killing Harry Potter. They looked up in surprise when he spoke, breaking the silence.

"I feel that those of you who hold our trust should know a bit more about your Prince," Harry said slowly as he carefully set down his glittering silver and gathered his thoughts. Everyone instantly turned his or her attention to him, eager to know more. "I was not born Harry Potter and have, in fact, never been officially carried that name. James Potter was not my father."

Shock ripped through the elite but they remained silent, fearful of irritating their temperamental leader and having him decide to stop telling them this information. After a short pause, Harry continued. "My mother, Lily Evans, had an ongoing affair with Sirius Black from the age of seventeen until her death. As a half Incubus the pull toward him was no doubt nearly impossible to avoid, especially if he set his sights on her, as he has told me that he did shortly after she married James Potter. In order to hide who I was she placed a light glamour over me that has been breaking down since I entered the wizarding world."

His statement was met by shocked silence. "Are you, then, a quarter Incubus?" Lucius finally asked, wary of voicing a question but knowing that everyone was asking the same question of themselves right now.

"No, I am half Incubus. After the initial mating with a human the Incubus blood never dilutes itself. It is impossible to breed it back out. Should I ever have children they, too, will be half Incubi."

"How did you make it through puberty? How did you handle it?" Rodolphus asked, looking as if he could hardly believe it.

Harry merely raised an eyebrow at the question. "That is hardly your business, is it?"

Rodolphus blushed as he finally realized exactly what his question implied and shook his head. "My apologies, my Prince, I didn't realize what I was saying. Forgive my crude question."

Harry nodded, took a long drink of his wine, and leaned back into his comfortable chair.

Draco bravely spoke up. Everyone was shocked that the young man had the stones to do so while surrounded by so many who clearly outranked him but since he asked yet another question that was on all of their minds they didn't reprimand him. "What was your birth name, then…my Prince?" he quickly added.

The Prince narrowed his eyes at him for a moment, trying to decide if he wished to reveal his name to them. He had earlier decided to do so but now that the time had come he hesitated to tell everyone. He had always liked having something so important kept as such a close secret. Draco sat with bated breath, awaiting his punishment for speaking out of turn. He hadn't meant to but the question slipped out. "Dorian Black," the Prince finally said, and then took another long sip of his wine.

"Are we to call you by this name now?" Lucius asked quietly.

Voldemort answered for his co-ruler. "Just as you all have permission to call me Tom upon the rare occasion you will also not be punished for using the Black prince's personal name when you are in an appropriate situation. For now though, you are the only ones who will know the truth of his parentage so you cannot, under any circumstances, use that name in any public situation."

Everyone immediately nodded their understanding. "Can you tell us a bit about Incubi, Prince?" Ava asked hesitantly. She always had a thirst for knowledge but she wasn't sure if this question would irritate or amuse her new leader.

Dorian smiled softly, making everyone relax. Evidently he found her desire for arcane knowledge charming. They were quickly learning how to read his facial expressions. His face, even when smiling, was still closed but they knew how to recognize the small changes. "As a part Incubus I am many of the things that you have heard of before in the myths written long ago about Incubi. I naturally exude a very strong pull when I have gone unsatisfied for too long. I am able to keep control over it as long as I have at least some access to a lover. I literally feed off of sexual energy but as a part Incubus I must be a participant in order to feed. Unlike myself, if you will recall, full blooded Incubi can feed off of any sexual energy, even if the party does not attain completion or even know that the Incubus is present.

"You have no doubt noticed that my skin has a sort of golden glow which is entirely natural and grows more noticeable the more that I feed." Everyone looked down in shock at his hands, noticing for the first time that he literally was glowing with a dull golden sheen. What had appeared to be a sun kissed tan earlier was now quite obviously something not quite possible for humans to achieve. The glow was subtle and could be mistaken at a glance for a mere tan but the golden sheen made him stand out more than he usually did. Evidently the luster was connected to how recently he had fed.

The elite all fought the urge to look at Severus Snape to see if he had been the obliging person to help their Prince feed. He undoubtedly was, since the Prince had demanded him so forcefully. The Prince cleared his throat. "There isn't too much more. I have a natural pull toward people in general, desiring touch even if it is not sexual but nothing else that is too noteworthy. Now that I am through the most dangerous stages of life as a part Incubus it is highly unlikely that I would lose control of myself. I am also better able to know what I need and when I need it so I would be able to avert a situation, should it arise."

Evidently Draco had only just made the connections. He stared incredulously between his Professor and his Prince, finally realizing that they had indeed had a consensual sexual relationship while they were still at school. Suddenly, the entire thing was just too funny for him—the Boy Who Lived and the Greasy Git. "How long have you and Professor Snape been fucking?" Draco asked bluntly, evidently not remembering his earlier lessons.

The Prince never bothered to look at him, merely pointing his wand at the boy and shooting a quick but incredibly painful Dark curse at him. The curse that he had chosen not only created pain that was nearly equal to the Cruciatus curse while applied but unlike the Unforgiveable, the pain of this curse also lingered for weeks to follow rather than a few minutes. Not even Voldemort would use the curse very often. Everyone watched in horror as the young Malfoy fell from his seat and lay convulsing on the ground. House elves entered at the signal of the representative elf and silently carried the whimpering boy out.

"I believe we made our position quite clear earlier when we told you to respect Severus Snape," he said glacially, turning his cold gaze slowly over the rest of the men and women at the table.

"Please forgive my son, Prince. He is young and he forgets his place," Lucius begged, terrified that Draco's words had just destroyed both of their positions in the Death Eaters. He had worked long and hard to obtain his high position among the elite and Draco's stupid schoolboy comment may have just torn him from it. His son could be absolutely brilliant but he could also easily slip into childish arguments and problems. He didn't know what to do anymore.

The Black Prince turned his icy gaze to Lucius making him shudder once again. "You are not at fault for your son's impetuosity…this time. Be sure that it does not happen again."

"Yes, my Prince. Your generosity is appreciated." Dorian nodded once and returned to his wine. Everyone shifted uncomfortably. They knew that the Malfoy heir had gotten off relatively lightly but it was still startling to see their new leader punish someone. They had known that it would happen but it was a shock to witness the last hope of the light employ Dark curses with such ruthless accuracy.

Voldemort turned to the Black Prince and hissed to him. _The boy is impulsive. He undoubtedly forgot the change in your position and saw you for a moment as his school rival who might have a relationship with his professor and godfather._

_I am sure of it. That is why I did not kill the brat. Regardless of how good his excuses may be, I will allow anyone, especially a common soldier, to speak so poorly or crudely of my mate._

_Of course not. I expected nothing less. It is none of their business what you do or do not do with Severus. I must admit though that I am curious as to the new glow to you. Can I assume that our dear Severus is responsible for it? _The Prince smirked and nodded. He didn't mind speaking of his relationship with friends or those who were ready to treat his Master with respect but Draco's question had been entirely different. _As I thought. I do believe that you have properly terrified Lucius though._

The Prince hissed a sibilant laugh. _I am sure. He should have trained his son more thoroughly before bringing him to such important meetings. If nothing else Draco should have known to keep silent. He spoke out of turn twice. He's lucky I didn't punish him the first time._

_There is too much of Bella's impulsiveness in him. I had hoped that he would be more like his Father. He luckily inherited little from his bitch mother. He is quite old enough though to know how to behave properly. He is an embarrassment to us all._

_Perhaps it is not too late for him to learn. I feel certain that he will take his proper place in the Death Eaters when he has a bit more time to grow up. He has probably rarely been punished by anyone for speaking out of turn. He is allowed to be surrounded by adults and attend to their affairs but he is not punished as one. He has been allowed to remain a child while assuming some of the more glorious privileges of the adults in our employ. Have you ever punished him before?_

_No. He was rarely around before this summer and he has been relatively well behaved up until now. Given your desire to limit punishments I always allowed him to slide by…which it appears I should not have done. I apologize. Had I known he would be so ill mannered I would have ensured that Lucius discipline him at home. Perhaps he will learn from this experience._

"Undoubtedly," the Prince answered in English. "If you are all finished, I believe that the soldiers are awaiting our presence in the meeting hall."

Everyone nodded and stood to go to the meeting, pulling their masks out of their robes. They hurried down the hall to the rest of the Death Eaters, assuming their places in the front. The rest of the Death Eaters quieted when they realized that the elite had arrived, signaling the imminent arrival of their leaders. They fell to their knees en masse when they realized that their leaders stood in the doorway.

Lord Voldemort and the Black Prince entered as one, matching each other stride for stride. They reached the front of the room and turned together to face their soldiers. "One of the first steps has been made toward turning the tide in this war," Voldemort announced, and then gave them a condensed version of the events that had taken place in the past twenty four hours.

Once the Death Eaters understood everything that had happened they were thrilled. Although no huge steps had been taken yet they had made an important start in eroding Dumbledore's immense control over the population. That in itself was enormously important. After the debriefing Lucius announced to his leaders that three new recruits had come to be tried and marked. Voldemort nodded curtly at him, indicating that he could show them into the room.

He returned, followed by Remus Lupin, Neville Longbottom and Millicent Bulstrode. Each walked up to the front of the room and bowed low, not daring to look up. The Prince finally spoke. "Do you come of your own free will to be marked as members of the Dark legion?" Millicent and Neville looked up in shock, noticing for the first time that their classmate stood at Voldemort's side.

Remus responded first, having expected to see Harry there. "I do, my Lord, Prince." Neville and Millicent responded in kind after they heard their classmate's proper title, albeit shakily.

"Very well," Voldemort replied. He bent low, staring deeply into each one's eyes, searching out memories and treacherous thoughts. It was this legilimency test that made it so difficult to infiltrate the Death Eaters. Neville and Millicent both passed quickly. Because Remus was a werewolf it was nearly impossible to perform legilimency on him. Voldemort exchanged a look with the Prince whose eyes flashed red for a brief moment as they conversed mentally.

The Prince spoke again. "Remus, you will lower your natural barriers as much as possible. Severus, enter his mind." Severus was better at legilimency than his Lord and he was occasionally called to service when difficult cases presented themselves. Werewolves had nearly impenetrable natural occlumency barriers as one of the few true benefits of their curse. Harry hoped that with the added trust of knowing that it was his cub's mate who was entering his mind that he would be able to lower his barriers enough for a quick scan.

Severus had to visibly prepare himself for the struggle as he tried to force his way into the werewolf's mind. After a brief scan he quickly left, leaving Remus sagging in relief. "He passed the test," Severus announced.

"Why do you seek us out?" the Prince asked the new recruits who stared at him in open shock. They had not expected to have to do anything but be tested through mind magic and then be branded. Neville gave a hesitant answer. "I have seen Dumbledore's trickery. My Gram had warned me about him, telling me about a made-up prophecy that he had tried to tell her when I was a baby in order to take me away from her. I watched him closely for a while and after a year or so I started to question the side of the light. The more I questioned it the more I realized the damage that the so called light side was doing to our society." The Prince nodded and turned to Millicent.

"I have long known that Dumbledore's side would never be my own but I had thought to retain neutrality. I recently realized though that such a course would be a coward's way out, especially since in my heart I already supported the Dark. I decided to pledge myself to the Dark so that I could serve as my leader's needs dictate."

The Prince nodded again and finally turned to Remus who had finally recovered from his struggle. It had been very difficult to fight his nature and to allow a foreign presence into his mind. It helped that the presence had been his cub's mate, making him a pack member of some sort. "I have always questioned the light and had been ready to come to you many years ago, during the first war. I hesitated though in an attempt to keep my cub whom I feared would be lost to me if I came to the Dark too early. Now that he has come safely to the Dark I could as well and I happily followed."

Voldemort and the Prince again exchanged long looks, their eyes flashing dangerously. They reached an agreement though and stepped forward simultaneously to brand their new followers. Remus looked down at his two marks and smiled happily. His cub was finally the leader that he had been born to be and he was finally fighting on the right side.


	8. Making Plans for Next Year

A/N: from here on out I will refer to Harry as Dorian. Dumbledore and those who are light will still call him Harry. Those who are Dark but don't know his true heritage will simply call him Prince all the time as they have done up to now. Hope this clears up some confusion. Frankly, it will probably be a while before everyone knows his true existence so expect to hear Harry from the light and Dorian from the Dark. 

PS. Sorry for the "Tallis" mistake in the last chapter. Writing 2 fics at once is surprisingly difficult even when they are relatively different from each other. I'll try to keep a better eye out for it.

PPS. Yet more sex in this chapter. For the full version, see link below.

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Chapter 8 

Dumbledore walked through Grimmauld Place, worked up into a fury. How _dare_ that damn half blood go in and steal his weapon from under his nose! What the hell was he supposed to do? The papers had already published the fact that he personally had been put in charge of the protection and care of Harry Potter all those years ago. This did not look good for him. No one would dare to bring up any charges or anything but public opinion was moving against him. He had banked on the public blindly following him—that was the only way that he had ever achieved the following that he had. He didn't know what to do now.

He needed to get the boy back, that was for damn sure. He had grown more wary of the boy as the years had passed as he had seen the keen intelligence in his eyes. He was entirely too smart for his own good. He had carefully kept every bit of information from him that he could through the years and he thought that he might have successfully kept the boy blinded. He wasn't certain. One thing was certain though: he could not risk losing the boy to Voldemort. Better to kill him and be done with it than risk that.

He frantically started making plans with those who were the most faithful to his cause to get Harry back. Unfortunately, they had no idea where he was and Severus was unable to reveal the location. Hopefully with him staying at the Death Eater headquarters full time for a few weeks he could find out the information he needed. He prayed that his spy would return to him quickly with the information so he could go and assess the damage done to hie weapon. If the boy was still firmly on the side for the light then he would nurse him back to health. If he seemed to be wavering he would destroy him once and for all. Best to avoid Voldemort gaining another ally.

BPBPBPBPBPBPBPBPBP

Lucius hesitantly knocked on the door to the Black Prince's private rooms. An order to enter was barked out and he quickly entered. He had been called to this meeting by Voldemort. His Lord had been meeting with the Black Prince, Severus Snape and Remus Lupin to make a few plans for the upcoming school year. He had no doubt been called to consult as he often was.

He bowed low when he entered the posh sitting room. The Black Prince and Voldemort were both sitting in chairs while Severus and Remus occupied the couch between them. Dorian had planned their seating arrangement before the meeting was even called, knowing that if he sat near his Master then he would struggle to maintain his role as the Black Prince but also knowing that he grew jealous if anyone sat too near his lover. Remus, as a father figure, was deemed safe to the Incubus within him. He had not expected a fifth person to be invited to their meeting but understood the value of Lucius' opinions and acquiesced to the request when Voldemort had put it forth.

Lucius started to sit on Severus' other side, causing Dorian to let out an unearthly growl, making the blond man's hair stand on end. Lucius stopped, startled, and moved to the opposite end, sitting next to Remus as the other two men moved further down. The meeting continued as if nothing had happened. Lucius wryly concluded that he now had his answer as to what Severus was to his Prince—obviously they were mated if his instinctual jealousy was anything to go by.

"I called you here to provide another opinion, Lucius," Voldemort said, pulling him into the conversation. "There are many options for us in the upcoming year. We have much to do and could both remain here to lead the soldiers that we have, making plans and trying to end the war. This, however, closes us off from potential recruits and essentially limits us to those who already serve. We would risk the general populous overthrowing us after we win the war if they are too discontent with a Dark ministry."

"To offset the chance of this happening," the Prince said, "I have proposed that I return to Hogwarts under a disguise as either a professor or an apprentice. It would allow me direct access to hundreds of Britain's finest students as well as an opportunity to get close with the residents of Hogsmeade and the other professors."

"That does sound ideal," Lucius said. "How would you ensure that your disguise could not be broken?"

"The plan is contingent upon an ancient potion working. It is designed to bring out any latent metamorphmagus abilities that the drinker may have. As a Black, Dorian may well have the ability but he has not yet been able to tap into it. If Severus were able to brew the potion for Dorian and if he truly had the ability then he would be able to safely morph his features so that he would be unrecognizable," Remus stepped in.

"It is too dangerous for you to go back there," Severus said firmly. He was ready to scream. He desperately wanted to keep his pet as far away from Dumbledore as possible and this reckless plan of his would endanger him. All right, if he stopped to admit it, he knew that it wasn't so reckless. The potion may not work, anyway. If it did then his pet would be safe, unless he said something that revealed who he was. If the potion didn't work then hopefully this talk of returning to Hogwarts would be over. The idea of his lover going to Hogwarts with him had seemed like a great plan earlier but as time had passed and he rethought it he had grown worried that Dumbledore would find some new way to hurt him if he went there.

Dorian looked up at his Master, concern flashing momentarily in his eyes before he wiped his expression once more. Lucius filed that bit of information away for further study. He knew that their relationship was none of his business but he was fascinated. Severus was his oldest friend after all and he had never even mentioned that he was dating anyone! "What would you have us do? Send Voldemort instead?" Dorian said sarcastically. Remus bit back a snort. Lord Voldemort wouldn't last a week without giving himself away by torturing some hapless student for giving the wrong answer.

Severus nearly bit his tongue through to keep from yelling. "You must admit, Prince, that this is needlessly reckless. Will the benefit really counter the danger that well? We'll only gain a few soldiers from your hard work, if any," he said with a forced calm, his effort to keep from screaming blatantly obvious to all.

"It is more important that we start to educate the children as to the true Dark mantra rather than the light drivel that Dumbledore has been force feeding them," Dorian argued. "Even if we don't gain any new recruits, if we have managed to reach some of the children before they are indoctrinated by Dumbledore's lies then we will have been wildly successful. We cannot simply take over the Ministry now and expect to hold it if the majority of the populace disagrees with us. They have been taught to hate and fear us for years. We need to start undoing some of the damage that the old man has wrought on our cause over the years. What is the point of a revolution if we will merely be overthrown a few years later by a counter-revolution?"

Severus glared at Dorian. He knew he was pressing his luck but he was furious about the danger that his lover wished to put himself in. "The Prince is right," Lucius said hesitantly. "We need to start working on re-educating the children, especially the upper years. It won't be long before they are old enough to fight and to take part in the world around them as adults. We must win more of them to our side before that happens. We are in a dangerous enough spot as it is."

Severus seethed. "Why the hell should Dorian be the one to do it?"

Dorian and Severus glared at each other heatedly, neither willing to step down in the situation. Remus spoke up. "Dorian, why don't you and Severus have a bit of a chat in the other room for a few minutes? Maybe you can come to an agreement." He knew about the nature of their relationship and knew that the major clash right now was between their public and private personas. As a leader, Dorian felt he needed to do this. As a sub, he desperately wanted to please his Master. Severus, as a good Dom, wanted to take care of his pet. As a Death Eater though, he knew that he needed to agree with his leader's decision. They needed to leave and fight this out on their own where they could drop their assumed roles and discuss what they really wanted to do.

Dorian stiffly stood and walked into the bedroom, followed close behind by Severus. As soon as the door closed he sank to his knees, tears already streaming down his face. He immediately set his wand aside on the table near the door as he always did upon entering the room, ready for his Master to take up should he feel the need to discipline him or simply remove the privilege of having a wand. Discipline was almost always done using his wand rather than his Master's as an added lesson against misbehavior. With the amount of wandless magic that Dorian was capable of, giving up his wand was more of a symbolic gesture than anything else, but he still did it. "I don't know what to do, Master," he whimpered.

Severus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew that he had been hurting Dorian by his insistent demands that he remain here in safety but he had forgotten how hard the situation must be for the young man. Dorian was fighting against every impulse to disagree with him, especially in public as he needed to do to maintain his persona as the Black Prince. He cursed himself lightly and sat down in his chair. "Come over here, pet." Dorian slowly inched toward his Master, concerned about what would happen for his disobedience. He knew that his Master wouldn't punish him beyond what he could take and what he deserved but he was still nervous. "Come here," Severus ordered firmly. Dorian quickly moved to his side, kneeling once again.

"Look at me," Severus said quietly but in a way that left no room to disobey. Dorian hesitantly met his eyes. "I am not fighting you on this to hurt you. It scares me to think of you back in that man's presence on a daily basis. You would be forced to put up a façade every hour of every day. Not only that but you would be forced to miss the vast majority of the Death Eater meetings—something that I do not believe to be a good idea for a new leader. The soldiers may revolt if they never see you or feel your influence."

Dorian nodded miserably. His Master was right. Severus reached out and grasped his chin, forcing him to meet his eyes once more. "I do not disagree with you though that the children need to learn the truth. There are other ways for you to do that though. Could you not open a shop in Hogsmeade, giving you close access to the students without being on Hogwarts property? Dumbledore is expanding the children's time in Hogsmeade given the relative peace of the last few years. All levels can now go on weekends and the upper levels can go any day of the week, provided they are back by eight p.m."

Dorian looked interested at this revelation. "Why didn't you tell me that before?"

Severus sighed. "I tried but everyone was so eager to get you back into Hogwarts that no one would listen."

"I'm sorry, Master," Dorian said miserably.

Severus lightly ran his fingers through his sub's hair. "You need to let me take care of you, pet. It's what I do. Please trust me to look out for your best interests. If you don't understand what I tell you then ask me about it, don't just refuse to do it. You chose me for your Master for a reason…let me take care of you."

Dorian quietly cried. His emotions were all over the place still after a month of starvation followed by the excitement of the past week. This was the second time in a matter of days that his Master had to remind him to trust him. He heard his Master sigh and shift over, suddenly picking him up from the ground and placing him in his lap. Dorian looked up, startled with the sudden movement and the unexpected treat of sitting in his Master's lap in spite of his recent behavior.

"I am not upset with you, pet. I know that you have had an incredibly stressful few months. I already told you that I wasn't mad with you about your earlier secrets. I am not angry with you now, merely frustrated. I understand though that it will take us some time to come to terms with how our relationship has changed."

Dorian once again looked down, forlorn. _He_ had been the one who had messed up their relationship.

Severus decided to deal with this a different way as his words were clearly not fixing the situation. He slowly started pulling his sub's robes off, revealing his completely naked form rather than the expected trousers and a shirt. He smiled softly and shook his head. Dorian always tried to avoid clothes as much as possible. He shouldn't be surprised that the boy had gone starkers under his robe, even for an important meeting with the Dark Lord. He slowly ran his hand up Dorian's tanned back, reveling in the silky skin. Dorian looked up in shock when he finally registered the fact that he was naked.

sex see link below

Remus tapped lightly on the door once he could smell that they were done. He knew that his cub would be utterly humiliated to know that his senses were strong enough for him to tell from a room away through a closed door the exact moment that they were finished so he tried to refrain from ever mentioning it. It was his sense of smell actually that had first told him that the two were together. He had been pleased by the revelation, knowing that his cub needed someone like Severus to keep him satiated and in line. Severus pulled his trousers closed and quickly buttoned them again, walking over to the door.

Dorian didn't bother to get up and dress, quite content to remain as he was. Incubi were notorious for their indifference about nudity and their general loathing of clothes. Remus had discovered his cub's dislike for clothing a few years ago and, after a few awkward months, had long since gotten over seeing him lounge around naked. His father had been the same, although he tolerated clothing a bit better than Dorian. As a werewolf he too was comfortable with nudity, at least more so than most humans who would have been appalled at the situation.

He walked into the room and sat down on the chair next to the one that Dorian was currently sprawled out in. "Feel better?"

"Much," Dorian said happily, still purring quietly.

"Your issues are resolved?" he said, turning for the answer to Severus who was standing behind his sub's chair, learning on the back.

Severus nodded. "All is well. I explained my point and he understands now."

"We should get back out to the others or else they'll come in here," Remus reminded his cub gently.

Dorian pouted for a moment but did not fight when his Master pulled him upright and started putting his robes back on. He sighed heavily but accepted the fact that while Voldemort might not mind conducting a meeting with him unclothed Lucius was probably not ready for that yet. He tugged at the material irritably and then stood, ready to go back to the meeting. Severus silently passed him his wand, which Dorian quickly slid into his robes. He paused for a moment at the door and cleared his expression some, although it was impossible to do so as fully as he usually did, so soon after feeding.

He walked gracefully into his sitting room, nodding at Voldemort and Lucius. Voldemort and Lucius exchanged a quick glance. It was clear that the young man had just been thoroughly shagged. The two men had been quietly discussing the mysterious relationship after Remus had disappeared into the room as well. Normally Voldemort wouldn't discuss such things with a follower, however highly ranked, but Lucius was his closest friend apart from Severus and he tended to treat them both more as friends than as soldiers. It was also clear that a bit of sex had calmed the two down considerably as they were no longer glaring daggers at each other.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, gentlemen." He sat on his chair again and waited for Severus and Remus to be seated before beginning. "Severus informed me of some new policies that Dumbledore intends to begin in the upcoming school year. He will be allowing all upper class students to go to Hogsmeade any day of the week so long as they return to the castle by eight and the lower years including the first years may go on weekends with the same restrictions on curfew. These privileges will stay in effect as long as the Death Eaters are relatively quiet.

"As such, Severus suggested that a safer measure might be to open a shop in Hogsmeade, giving me access to both the students and the townspeople. Better still though, I would have free reign to leave when I need to go to meetings and to leave to go to other areas to work on spreading our message. I believe that we all know that Tom is not quite as diplomatic as we may need to be so it would probably be prudent for me to still serve as our main liaison with the world at large, although I also wish for our elite members to be doing likewise."

"Well, the idea has merit," Voldemort said slowly. "What type of shop would you run?"

"I'm not sure. We need to be careful to have it appear to be relatively innocuous to Dumbledore while drawing in the students. It can't be any sort of shop that the students would enter, buy what they need and then leave quickly. The whole point is that they stay behind and talk to me. Do you have any ideas?"

"Quidditch?" Remus suggested.

"Artifacts?" Lucius put in.

"A book store?" Severus suggested.

"I honestly have no idea," Voldemort said when they turned to him. "All of those suggestions have merits but they also have very serious drawbacks. We'll need to think carefully on this."

"It could always be a pub or a restaurant instead of a store, as such," Dorian put in helpfully.

Everyone perked up at this statement. "Let's think on it for a week or so before deciding."

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A/N: er…anyone have any ideas about a type of shop/restaurant? I've written a chapter in which they discuss some ideas but I haven't made up my mind yet. I am definitely open to suggestion. Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews, and I'm sorry I haven't been updating more regularly. I'm trying!

SEX SCENE: go to adult fanfiction to find. Link: http // adultfan . nexcess . net / aff / story . php ? no (equals) 544199354 & chapter (equals) 8

Take out spaces and fill in the (equals) with the actual symbol (which for some reason won't let me type).


	9. A Walk in the Garden

A/N: I wasn't quite ready to post this yet but since I finally got the damn Internet to work from my dial up I decided to go ahead. I get DSL next Wednesday so hopefully posting issues will go away. Thanks for reading! 

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Chapter 9 

Dorian walked through the gardens outside the manor with Remus, chatting quietly about their recent choices. He hadn't bothered to dress completely and only wore a pair of pants with the top button undone making them hang dangerously low on his hips and some open robes over his bare chest. Remus hadn't bothered to comment on his state of dress before they set out, deciding that he was probably doing well just to have clothes on at all.

"Are you happy with your choice?" Dorian asked quietly.

"Yes, I wish we could have come sooner. I knew you weren't ready when I first met you and if we had done this a year or so ago then it would have been too soon. My Lord would have accepted you as a soldier, perhaps a high ranking one but not as his equal."

"But for you…are you happy?"

"Dear gods, boy, of course I am! I managed to follow my own ideals without losing my cub. What more could I want?"

Dorian shrugged, his robe slipping off his shoulder. "I don't know. I just wanted to make sure."

Remus smiled and tugged the robe back up, trying to keep him at least somewhat covered. The soldiers all knew that he was part Incubus, having been told that a week ago, but they still found it incredibly hard to keep their eyes off him. "I'll always be happy so long as I can keep you. I nearly died when Dumbledore broke my pack up. With Lily and James dead, Peter supposedly dead and Sirius in prison I was left with nothing but you and he took you away from me too. I can't go through that again."

"I'll never leave you, you know that Remy. And now you have Severus too, don't you?"

"I suppose I do, though he would probably die to hear it. He's a good man—I am pleased with your choice."

"Not much choice to it, as you well know. But it does feel nice that I actively picked him before I knew that he was my mate. It makes it feel a bit less…predestined or something."

The two grew quiet as they walked past a group of Death Eaters who were patrolling the grounds, all studiously trying to avoid checking out their semi-dressed Prince. Although he was blocking his sexual pull as much as it was possible to do, as an Incubus it was always at least slightly present. Even without the pull though he was a gorgeous, half clad young man.

Dorian spotted Lucius and Bella chatting further ahead. "Let's go ask them if they have come up with any ideas about the shop. We have our meeting later today and I'm still not ready to make a decision." Remus agreed and they walked over to the benches. Voldemort and the Prince had opened their idea up to around half of the elite to brainstorm ideas about what type of shop he should choose to open. They needed to walk a fine line between luring the students in and avoiding the notice of those whom they needed to hide from.

Dorian quickly slipped into his Black Prince role. "Lucius, Bellatrix," he said, perhaps not as coldly as he often was while the Prince but certainly lacking any warmth. "Do you have a moment?"

"Of course, my Prince," Bellatrix said quickly. Dorian sat down on a bench near them while Remus chose to remain standing.

"Have either of you come to any conclusions about the type of shop I should open in Hogsmeade?"

"I believe that a restaurant would best suit your needs, Prince," Lucius replied. "Students would come in to eat and drink, spending long hours within your shop. It would give you ample time to eavesdrop or to talk to them without rousing suspicion. If you added a few things to appeal to the younger crowd you would drive away the professors without even trying."

Dorian raised a single eyebrow in inquiry. Lucius quickly elaborated. "You could play muggle music, quite popular among the Hogwarts students, I hear, and difficult for them to find access to since the castle is so remote. Most of the older set are rather turned off by the loud music and wouldn't go in during the day. After dark it could be converted into a typical pub so that the adults would go in. You would have access to both crowds while they were at their most unwary—kids when they are having fun with their friends, adults when they are drinking."

Dorian nodded slowly, thinking about this. It would be a lot of work but it might pay off well. He looked up when he heard a soldier speaking behind him. "Hey, Lucius, you get a sight of the Prince today? He's prancing around half nake—"

The Prince stood up and slowly turned around, his eyes flashing in fury. He didn't give a damn that the soldier was gossiping about his clothing (or lack there of). It infuriated him though that the soldier had dared to address another while in his presence. _He_ was the leader damn it and _he_ should always be the first to be addressed in any situation.

Flint took a quick step back, paling instantly. Why the hell didn't he look around and see where the Prince was before he opened his mouth? He looked to Lucius for help, knowing that he was a favorite of their Lord and seemed to be rather high in the Prince's favor as well so far. Lucius shook his head. He wouldn't do anything to help him.

"Do not presume to speak in front of your leaders without express permission, soldier," Dorian said coldly.

Flint nodded eagerly. "Yes sir."

Dorian's wand was suddenly in his hand although he had made no movement to draw it. He hissed a spell in Parseltongue, mystifying the other elite members and Remus until they realized what the spell had done. It had sealed his mouth shut completely, preventing any speech at all until the spell was undone. More though, it would prevent any intake of food or drink until the spell was undone. Likely it needed to be undone in Parseltongue. Lucius cringed. Flint would bear that punishment for quite a while if that were the case. Well, at least until he was in a coma or died. It was highly unlikely that their Prince would undo it and he knew that Voldemort would never undo his ally's spellwork, particularly if it were part of a punishment.

"Leave us," Dorian said, narrowing his eyes in obvious distaste for the soldier. He sat down again and turned to Bellatrix as if nothing had happened. "What have you decided, Bellatrix?"

She hurried to report, terrified of turning his wrath in her direction. "I had thought that a…well, an odds and ends type of shop might work. You could sell everything from books to old artifacts to used items to potions ingredients. Because it would be a curiosity shop of sorts it would be normal for customers to linger for quite a while to look at all the wares and even sit and read from the books a bit."

Dorian again nodded, pacified almost immediately by her quick and intelligent response. "Both are interesting suggestions. Thank you."

"Will you be ready to make your decision by our meeting today?" Lucius asked.

"Perhaps."

"Prince?" Bella said hesitantly, uncertain of whether she would be pushing too far or not with her question. She had to know though. The suspense was killing her. She expected her death daily and each day as she went to sleep her dreams were filled with images of him finally obtaining his revenge.

Dorian turned his gaze toward her, trying to keep it neutral. "Yes?"

"May I ask you a personal question?" Dorian sat for a moment, staring at her relentlessly and then nodded when he saw no malicious intent. "Why do you not hate me? Why haven't you singled me out for punishments rather than sending my on your most important mission so far? I killed your father," she whispered, blinking back tears.

Dorian stared at her, never blinking. She shifted nervously under his gaze, certain that he would kill her any moment. "You hit my Father with a light stunning spell. The fact that he fell through the Veil afterward was not your intention or your direct doing."

She looked rather uncomforted and still a bit terrified, as if she was waiting for him to realize what she had done and kill her in vengeance. "Bella," he said with a gentleness she had never expected from the cold young man, "I am sure that you would never kill a family member if you could help it. I know that you did not intend to kill my Father. Hurt him? Perhaps. Humiliate him? Certainly. Never kill, though. I cannot blame you when the fates simply came together and decided to twist a harmless action into a cruel death. Some would have even called you kind, sending such a weak spell toward him in the middle of what was essentially a battle. I know that you did not intend for that spell to kill him."

She gave him a teary smile. "Thank you, Prince. I have been worried about it ever since. I might be lacking a few morals and am always willing to bend the rules but not even I would become a kin killer."

"I know," Dorian said softly. He knew that he was shedding his Black Prince role right now but Bellatrix _was_ a family member and Lucius was as well, in addition to being the highest ranking Death Eater aside from his mate. He knew that they wouldn't gossip about it.

Remus spoke up finally. "Sirius always loved dueling you, Bella. He told me stories all the time of your childhood duels and competitions. We all wish that night had gone differently but at least Siri was able to get out of the house and feel useful again. He had been wasting away in his enforced hiding. I tried to get him to come to Voldemort early on but he was scared that he would lose his son. We had planned to talk to Dorian that summer about changing sides. His death delayed our journey but we still made it."

"Black had been going to accept the mark?" Lucius said incredulously.

"Yes. We had both wanted to before the end of the first war but we delayed when we found that Lily was carrying his baby. We knew that Lily wouldn't be able to come with us, married to James as she was, and we were unwilling to leave her alone."

Severus walked up to the group, outside in a rare walk in the sun, ostensibly gathering potion ingredients. He was actually looking for his pet, not enjoying the fresh air, and the basket of fresh cut ingredients merely served to disguise the fact that he really wanted to talk to his lover. He had heard Lucius' comment about Black and that had alerted him to his sub's presence although he could not see him through the thick foliage. He made his way closer to them quickly. "Prince," he said formally, bowing quickly and then taking a seat nearby. Dorian shifted uncomfortably at his closeness, ready to eat but knowing that he needed to wait until his Master told him it was time.

The others were oblivious to his discomfort. "We were just telling our Prince about our ideas for what type of shop he should open in Hogsmeade. You were the one to come up with the idea of his working in Hogsmeade…what type of shop were you envisioning?" Lucius asked, eager to hear what his friend would say.

Severus absentmindedly toyed with a long stem of the sweet grass he had just cut to dry for his winter potions. "I'm not entirely certain. I had thought of a bookstore, but that would draw primarily Ravenclaws and a few Slytherins if you had an interesting enough stock. A Quidditch store seems rather out of the question since it would draw the entirely wrong crowd, as would a joke or trick store. A potions store could work, but again, that wouldn't be a universal draw. I am leaning toward a restaurant or a café."

"And what of you, Remus?" Bellatrix asked, suddenly realizing that no one had heard anything from him.

"I had thought of something along the same lines as you actually, Bella. Shops like that are often popular with nearly everyone. Those who are poor love them because they can shop for second hand items and save a bit of money. The rich love them because they can find rare treasures buried among the rest of the mess. They allow people plenty of time to linger. I can see plenty of drawbacks to that type of shop though. I'm really not sure."

Bellatrix nodded and stood to leave. "Prince, by your leave, I need to return to my home. My husband awaits me." Dorian nodded amiably and she slowly walked away, leaving the four men to themselves.

"Might I inquire, Prince, why you changed sides?"

Dorian's easy expression immediately closed off, all hint of the easy going conversation they had just engaged in gone completely from his face. "My past is none of your concern, Lucius, and you would do well to remember that."

Lucius immediately nodded, terrified that he had overstepped himself. He felt that his family was walking an incredibly dangerous line right now, what with Draco's impossibly rude comment earlier and both his and his son's actions toward their Prince over the previous years. "Forgive me, I did not mean to offend."

Remus prodded his godson's shoulders gently, trying to remind him that he was a moody bastard and that he should try not to take it out on his soldiers, particularly one who was so intelligent and useful. Dorian sighed. "I was perhaps too harsh, Lucius. I suppose as one of Lord's favorites you, of all people, should know a bit more." He sat quietly for a moment, collecting his thoughts. He would be giving the extremely truncated version of the story, summing everything up in a few sentences. He wasn't ready yet to talk about any of it in greater detail.

"I have never trusted Dumbledore. When I received my Hogwarts letter I knew that I needed to stay away from him."

"Why?" Lucius blushed when he realized that he had interrupted his Prince and began to stammer an apology.

Dorian simply raised a slim hand to halt the unnecessary apology and continued. "My letter was addressed to the cupboard under the stairs. I knew immediately that they were fully aware of my living situation and chose to do nothing about it. When I found my Father I knew beyond any doubt that I would never side with Dumbledore. Father told me that Dumbledore had known—had _always_ known—that he was never the secret keeper. Dumbledore had been the one to perform the spell on Peter Pettigrew. He forced my Father into prison in order to keep the two of us separated. Once Father escaped Dumbledore did his best to keep us apart, and ultimately orchestrated the events that led to my Father's death when he realized that despite his greatest efforts that Father was getting closer to simply coming to Voldemort and declaring his loyalty and potentially pulling me along with him.

"Around a year ago I decided that I was through with even pretending to be on Dumbledore's side and approached my godfather to ask for some advice about how to proceed. We decided to contact Tom directly to discuss an alliance. I spent a few months deciding how to best do this and then another month trying to get him to respond to me before we finally started talking."

"I see." Lucius desperately wanted to ask what specifically had happened a year ago to spur him into action but he refrained. There were other things that he wanted to know and he doubted that the Prince would tell him anyway, if he hadn't already. "Is Severus your mate?"

Severus choked at the question but Dorian merely smiled, glad that he could finally recognize his lover as his true mate. "Yes."

"How long have you known?"

"Nearly two years."

"And you approached him then?"

"No, we were already together for a while before that."

Lucius raised an eyebrow as he looked at his friend who merely shrugged his shoulders. "He was bloody gorgeous and he wanted me. Who in their right mind would turn him away, regardless of age?" Severus said as his only defense for dating a boy who wasn't even sixteen. Lucius rolled his eyes. "Hell, Luc, I wanted him since he was thirteen. I had waited long enough for him." Dorian merely smirked at Lucius' open shock.

"I am amazed that the two of you managed to hide it from Dumbledore for all of that time."

"If I am nothing else, Lucius, I am a consummate actor. All I have done since I entered this world was fill the role that had been handed to me. Did you ever think that it was anything else?" Dorian asked waspishly, glaring at him, all trace of amusement gone.

Lucius hurriedly calmed him. "No, no, I wasn't doubting your skill to hide information when you wanted it hidden, I was merely commenting on how the damned man always seems to know everything. I meant no offense."

The men all sat in silence for a time, each thinking about their fight that they were facing with Dumbledore. After a few minutes, Severus accidentally dropped the sweet grass that he had been twisting in his hands and he and Dorian both reached for it at the same time, brushing hands lightly. Dorian instantly started to purr. Lucius looked at him strangely before he realized what was happening. He knew little about Incubi other than what his Prince had told them at dinner a few days ago and what he had observed of him already. They were suddenly awash in his sexual pull, leaving the men panting with desire.

"Get control of yourself, now," Severus demanded harshly. Dorian visibly struggled to reign in the pull and finally managed to close it completely, or as completely as he ever could. Lucius raised an eyebrow at his friend's tone with his leader but didn't comment on it. It only fed more fuel to his burning questions about their strange relationship.

"I will withdraw to my rooms," Dorian said, once again fully assuming his role. He had dropped it quite a bit during their conversation and holding onto his mask actually helped him to reign in his sexual desire which was directly linked to the pull that he would exude. He had used his Harry Potter mask to help conceal his Incubus heredity while a student and now he used his Black Prince mask to strengthen his control.

Remus nodded, concerned over his cub. It was incredibly rare for him to lose control, especially over such an innocent touch. Usually it would take a lot more teasing on Severus' part to make him drop his barriers like that. "Do you want me to go with you, cub?"

"No, I will be fine." He looked for a long time at Severus but no words were spoken and no emotions were visible through his mask. He finally turned away and headed back to his chambers.

Lucius looked at his long time friend. "What was that? What is going on with you two?"

"Nothing, Lucius. When he loses control like that he needs to be snapped back to awareness or he can become dangerous, not that I would recommend you yelling at him like that. He tolerates it from me since we have been so close for so long."

Lucius made a sort of affirmative noise while still looking skeptical. He was certain that there was more to it than that but he would stop pushing for now.

Severus stood to leave as well, heading toward his rooms to check on his pet. He had been dangerously close to losing it earlier, something he hadn't done in over a year. He must still be suffering from his long period of starvation while with the Dursleys. He should have gone to visit him at the muggles' house sooner so he could feed.

Lucius turned to Remus, the only one who remained in the garden still. "Does he always wear so few clothes?"

Remus snorted. "You were lucky he had on as much as he did. Incubi loathe clothing and he spends far more time each day stark naked than he does dressed. He wouldn't bother with clothing at all if it weren't for the fact that most of the Death Eaters would be distressed. In fact, the only reason he _has_ clothing right now is that Lord Voldemort provided him with a full wardrobe. He's given up on wearing clothes near his mate and I entirely, as he does with people he is truly comfortable with. His father rarely bothered with clothing either, although he wore it much more than Harry does."

Lucius blushed lightly. "You mean if he gets more comfortable with me that he might come to meetings nude?"

Remus laughed out loud. "I'd guarantee it. Don't worry, you'll get used to it."


	10. After the Garden

Chapter 10 

Severus slipped quietly into their rooms, looking around for his mate, and finally spotting the young man sitting naked on the bed trying to meditate in order to calm down.

He smirked and stepped closer, watching as his pet instinctually reacted to his presence although he was not yet aware that he was in the room. With every step he took toward Dorian he was able to see his pet's prick harden more and more.

He silently slipped his wand out of his sleeve and performed a nearly noiseless incantation, smirking at the startled gasp that slipped from his pet's lips. He should shock him more often, he decided, since it produced such delightful results.

Dorian blinked up in shock from the bed where he was currently tied down, his arms tied to either bedpost and his legs pulled up and tied to the same posts, bending him nearly in half. He gave up an internal prayer of gratitude to the gods that he was so incredibly flexible and then groaned as his cock throbbed with desire. Merlin, he needed his Master.

Sex scene—see link below

Severus slowly pulled out and lay down next to Dorian, gasping. After Dorian had recovered some he tried to shift from his uncomfortable position but found that he still could not move more than an inch or two. "May I be untied, Master?" Dorian said hesitantly.

Severus looked his lithe form over appreciatively. "I would rather keep you there, tied to my bed and ready for me whenever I want you. After a while I wouldn't need to bother with lubricant, you'd be so slick with my come. When I left for work you'd be there, waiting for my return all day, ready for me, your tight hole desperate to be filled." He cock twitched appreciatively as he imagined walking in the door after a long day of dealing with brats and entering his bedroom and seeing his lover tied down and waiting for him.

Dorian blushed at the thought of it, turned on in spite of the burning pain he was starting to feel in his legs. Severus sighed and reluctantly let his legs down, easing them to the bed gently as he rubbed the feeling back into them. "I suppose I'll have to wait to do that after you've taken over the world. I believe a few people might notice it if you disappeared for days on end just to fulfill my fantasies." His large hands were now lightly rubbing his pet's arms, making sure that the spelled ropes hadn't damaged his skin at all or strained him too badly.

Dorian purred softly, utterly content, and curled into the older man's side. "Were you and Black really talking about switching sides before he died?" Severus said softly and then cringed at his lack of transition. The question had been bothering him since he heard Dorian say it earlier though and it just slipped out.

Dorian stiffened momentarily before forcing himself to relax. Regardless of how many decent conversations he had about his Father with others he always got nervous around his volatile Master. He hated hearing his Father disparaged and he struggled to fight back well when it was his Master who was tearing his Father down. Fighting back wasn't a problem—fighting back without tears or wild accusations or cruelly cutting remarks was more difficult. Both men lost all control when it came to Sirius Black. "Yes," he said softly, his fingers still lightly running over his Master's chest.

Severus remained silent for a moment, gently carding his fingers through his pet's curls. "I hadn't realized."

Dorian shrugged: uncomfortable talking about his Father with his Master.

Severus felt his heart constrict for a moment at the reaction. "I'm sorry," Severus whispered. Dorian looked up sharply at this statement, astonishment clear on his face. "I'm sorry I made you feel like you can't ever talk about him to me. I know he was important to you. I didn't realize how much I must have hurt you by my comments."

Dorian looked into his eyes for a moment before nodding his understanding. "I know you two didn't get on very well, Sir. I didn't want to push you."

Severus gently pushed him back down, resting the curly head on his broad shoulder as he held him tightly. "Tell me about when he first told you that you were part Incubus." He felt Dorian smile against his shoulder at the memory.

"Are you sure?" Severus nodded, bumping his chin lightly on the top of Dorian's head. "Well, he came to the house that summer—he had snuck away from Grimmauld Place because he knew that he needed to see me soon. He had started having problems with his pull at around that age and he figured I might be beginning. I was outside doing the yard work, as usual, and I must have been projecting an extremely strong pull because even he was able to feel it. He caught my attention and we slipped away from the house for a chat after he finished my chores for me with a bit of magic.

"We went into the woods for a bit of privacy since he was wanted by the muggle authorities as well. He was so flustered, so nervous about telling me. We didn't know each other very well at the time, having only really met and talked once and written a few short and hurried letters. He just paced back and forth nervously, trying to find the proper words to explain it all. I'm sure part of it was nerves and part of it was his discomfort with feeling the pull from his own son."

"Can Incubi usually not feel the pull from another Incubus?" Severus interrupted him, having heard him mention his shock over his Father feeling the pull twice now.

"No Sir, we are nearly immune to it. It only works on other species unless it is extremely strong, but even then it won't work as well. Anyhow, he stuttered through his explanation. I've never seen him blush before—it was great. Even his neck was red when he was trying to describe the way that we feed and how our pull works to me. He taught me a few tricks to help reign in my unconscious pull and explained that I absolutely must begin feeding, and soon, if I wanted to survive."

"So you were fourteen when you had sex for the first time?"

"Not quite fourteen. My fourteenth birthday was about a month away. After he was finished with the explanations he seemed to get over his embarrassment completely. He always did better with actions instead of words. He took me to a club and we both picked up a bit of action and slipped into the back room. I know most people would think it strange to have sex for the first time with your Father so close by but I guess it's different for Incubi. I never really thought about the fact that he had been there until about a year or so later. Frankly, we were both too wrapped up in our dates to notice anything going on around us.

"We both fed a few times that night before we left, sated and exhausted. I had never fed before and I was literally starving although I had not been able to tell what was wrong with me until that day. He had finally been released from his stay in Azkaban that had nearly killed him. The only time he could feed was when his pull would get strong enough to entice a guard down into the highest security wing. They rarely went there, preferring to stay as far away as possible from the Dementors. Can you imagine how horrible that had to have been, needing your captors to fuck you in order to stay alive?"

Despite his desire to keep on hating the man, Severus shivered. It was a wonder the man had emerged from his stay in Azkaban with even a fleeting hold on his sanity. He gently rubbed his pet's back, silently encouraging him to continue.

"After that he came to see me at least once a week, always taking me out to a club somewhere so we could feed. Remus came with us some, which has probably helped him to take on his godfather duties better. He learned a lot on those excursions about Incubi that he couldn't have ever learned without being one or else being near some as they fully gave in to their nature. Although he came along ostensibly to get out and have some fun I think that it was much more of a chance for him to learn what he might need to do someday as my guardian. I think we all knew that it wouldn't last forever."

Severus tightened his grip on Dorian. "Remus is a good man. He's taken good care of you since you lost Black and he's the only one I'd trust to take care of you if I couldn't for some reason. I'm glad that you have him still."

Dorian smiled lightly, reigning in a yawn. "Me too. I miss my Father every day still but at least I have Remy. He works hard to do everything that my Father did for me: to be a proper Inc-parent. Filling in for an Incubus Father is incredibly difficult because it is so radically different from being a Father for a human—as I'm sure you noticed by the number of times my Father and I had sex with people in the same room. We've even been part of a foursome together…not that I expect Remus to do that with me. I don't know what I would have done if he had refused to switch sides with me. I can't imagine choosing between him and you." Dorian went rigid, realizing that he had just told his Master that there was another man whose opinion mattered as much as his did. He was so sleepy that he wasn't guarding his words very well. He waited nervously for the lecture that was sure to follow.

"Ssh, pet. It's only natural that you need your godfather too, especially given your circumstances. I would never make you choose between us." Dorian relaxed, once again leaning bonelessly into his Master's warmth and blinking blearily. "Sleep, pet," Severus said softly, lulling the already exhausted boy into a deep sleep, leaving him to think over the revelations he had just heard.

Severus' mind slowly turned over all of the events that he had recently experienced. His entire world had been turned over in the past week. The outcome was good, and things had turned out better than he had ever hoped that could, but it was still a lot to process. He had never before allowed himself to hope that his sub would come willingly to the Dark and he had never dreamed that he would become a great Lord of the Dark forces.

Perhaps the most difficult revelations to swallow though had been those concerning Sirius Black. Truthfully, many of them had been a long time in coming. He had long been thinking over why he had hated his classmate so quickly and so thoroughly. He had also known for quite a while that he was Harry…no, _Dorian's_ father. Somehow it hadn't been too real before now, before people beside Lupin had known it.

He sighed softly, idly stroking the wild curls that lay on his shoulder. As much as it pained him to admit it, he knew that he would have even buried the hatchet with Black if Dorian had asked it of him and Black had lived. Once again he sent of a thankful prayer of gratitude to the gods, knowing that they had surely been watching over him when a young and confused Harry had stumbled into his private rooms, begging for something he didn't even know how to articulate. He wouldn't give his pet up for anything, now.

He heard a light tap at the door which also woke Dorian up. Severus nudged Dorian, alerting him to the fact that he needed to be the one allow entrance since he was the Black Prince. It would be rather unseemly for Severus to be taking such liberties. Severus quietly removed the silencing charm momentarily, allowing whoever was knocking to hear them. "What do you want?" Dorian yelled out with a deep, gravelly voice, having just woken up.

"It's just me," Remus replied.

Dorian waved his hand, opening the door wandlessly.

Remus quickly stepped through and smiled when he saw his cub curled up with his mate in bed. His smile grew when he noticed the light blush on Severus' cheeks. The potions master didn't care if Dorian was naked with other people present but he got uncomfortable when he was the naked one.

Dorian knew what to do and without waiting for an order he slid out of bed and grabbed a pair of silk sleep pants and handed then to his Master to slide on under the covers. "What's going on, Remy?"

"We're supposed to have a meeting here in a few minutes. You do remember that, don't you?"

Dorian sighed heavily and slipped back into bed, curling up into Severus' side once more. "Can't it wait?"

"Well, you are a Dark lord, you can do whatever you want, really," Remus said thoughtfully. "You were the one to schedule it though."

"Bugger," Dorian muttered quietly into the warm chest he had currently buried his face in.

"Come on, up," Severus ordered. "Get up, wash, and dress. Meet us in the sitting room in twenty minutes."

"Yes Sir." Dorian knew that tone of voice meant business so he quickly got out of bed and went to the bathroom to get ready.

Remus raised an eyebrow. "I don't think I've ever seen him go so quickly from utter laziness to business. I need to learn that trick."

"I sincerely doubt it would work since you won't reward him the way I do when he's good. You don't punish him the same way either for that matter. Pass me my wand," Severus said as he too got out of bed, grateful for the sleep pants that Dorian had already given him.

He grabbed the wand that Remus handed him and started casting a series of cleaning charms on himself as he slipped on a shirt and gathered his robes together. He realized, with a shock, that he was comfortable around Lupin. More—he actually thought of the man as a, well, a _friend_. When had that happened? He grumbled quietly about irritating boy wonders and their infernal family members invading his quiet existence as he finished dressing.

Remus laughed quietly as he started using a few spells to straighten the rooms up. He had been wondering when it would be that Severus realized how much their relationship had changed over the past two years. Severus was still a very solitary man and still felt little need to socialize or make friends but, for better or worse, he had accepted Remus into his life with little question and they had only grown closer as time had passed.

A wet and dripping Dorian peeked his head out of the bathroom door, looking to Severus for approval before he walked back into the room. In his rush to get to the shower he had forgotten to pick out robes first.

Severus walked over to his closet and pulled out a set of robes and handed them to Dorian to dress in. "Have you decided what type of shop you will open in Hogsmeade?" he asked as Dorian dressed as quickly as possible, the robes clinging to his still wet form as he hadn't taken the time to dry off at all.

Remus rolled his eyes and cast a quick drying spell on his cub, making it much easier to finish dressing.

Dorian gave him a quick smile before giving his Master his full attention. "No Sir, I wasn't entirely certain what you would want. Lucius' idea definitely had merit since it would allow me to lure in a broad range of patrons. I also kind of liked Bella and Remus' idea though. A café could be equally lucrative as well since it would allow for a wide range of people of all ages to intermingle at the same time without question. What do you think?"

"They both have merit. We'll have to discuss it with the others and see if they have any other points to be considered before you make your final decision." Dorian looked a bit surprised that the decision would ultimately be up to him. He had heard Severus ask if he had decided earlier but he had thought it more a figure of speech or a request for his opinion before He made the final decision. "I can decide it for you if you wish, pet, but I think that you should do this yourself. You will have to work there every day for at least a year. It will be your main base of operations and your central recruitment point, not to mention that it will be the part that you must play for quite a while."

Dorian nodded quietly, shifting uncomfortably. "Can I at least have your opinion first?" he finally whispered.

"Of course. As I said before, if you need me to I can always decide for you, I just thought you might like to do so yourself. Let me know what you want."

Dorian nodded, looking much more at ease with this new information. He was more than capable of making such decisions but he was worried that he would push too quickly for one decision over the others and displease his mate like he had at their first meeting.

The three men quickly sat down in the sitting room. Dorian's eyes flashed red for a moment and he stood to pace in front of the fireplace. Voldemort entered without knocking, having already alerted the Prince to his presence and received permission to enter. Lucius followed him. Both men took their seats quietly.

"Lord, I'm not certain what I wish to do," Dorian finally said once he was certain that the door had closed making the silencing charms spring into place. "A few excellent ideas have been presented to me and I find myself in a difficult position. All of them have their drawbacks and while I realize that no plan will be without it's faults I hesitate to accept any of the current ideas without giving them some more thought."

"We can always put the choice off for a bit longer if you wish to, Prince," Voldemort said, worried about how his young friend was holding up under the recent stress. He knew that the changes had to have been difficult, however well he seemed to be holding up. Even with the quick acceptance of his Death Eaters it was still a huge change.

"Whatever choice we make must be made soon if we are to be ready in time and established before the children get back. I would like to have a few weeks before they get there to get to know the other witches and wizards in Hogsmeade so that they all already like and trust me before Dumbledore is there to potentially call me into question."

"Do you think him likely to do so, my Prince?" Lucius asked, concerned.

"Truthfully, no, but it is a possibility that we must consider. How is the potion coming along, Severus?"

"Well, Prince. It should be finished by midweek if all goes according to plan."

"I suggest that we wait and see whether or not the potion reveals a latent metamorphmagus ability before we push too much for any one plan. All of this is, after all, contingent upon discovering that I have the ability."

"That is true. There are some Dark potions that would allow you to shift your appearance for a week or so at a time but I would be much more wary of your constant presence in Hogsmeade if there was a possibility of the potion failing at an inopportune time. It would be too dangerous for you to live there and work long hours. We would need to cut back on your presence there to be safe," Voldemort explained.

"Very well. Is there any business that we have not yet discussed?"

Voldemort turned to Lucius. One of Lucius' main jobs was to be the liaison between the soldiers and the leaders. He would take reports, listen to rumors, process requests, and schedule audiences so that the two leaders did not need to waste their time with such basic things. "Nothing too pressing. The soldiers are still working on recruitment. I have asked them to compile a list of those that they believe to be potential recruits so that you could both look at it at your leisure."

"I also have a short list of people I believe to be possibilities. Severus will write my list out and we can discuss it at a later date. Some of them may be able to be approached by any careful soldier, some of them will need to be approached only by those they already trust—probably Remus and Neville Longbottom or another former Gryffindor or Hufflepuff."

"Of course, my Prince. There are also a number of soldiers who requested audiences with you both. Crabbe and Goyle wish to discuss bringing their sons into the fold. Cassandra would like to discuss her recruitment at St. Mungos. I believe she is going to request back up at her station. The recruitment goes surprisingly well but she would like to have an assistant healer there to help, although the assistant does not need to be in her department. It might be better if the two were separated. Also," he paused for a moment, nervous about this last audience, "Draco Malfoy requested an audience to make his formal apology."

His statement was met with silence. After a few moments his leaders began speaking in Parseltongue. Although he couldn't begin to understand them he was fascinated by the differences between the two men when they used the snake language. Voldemort had always sounded incredibly threatening and frightening when he spoke in Parseltongue. Somehow though, the Prince managed to sound…well…erotic.

He shifted uncomfortably with the realization that the sibilant hisses coming from his Prince's lips were turning him on. How had he ever missed that before now? He supposed that he had been too terrified to ever take note before now but all the same it was rather disturbing to be this turned on during a meeting with his superiors. He looked over at Severus and Remus and found Remus smiling faintly at his discomfort and Severus smirking, his eyes glittering in amusement. They both knew exactly what was going on in his mind.

_Should we allow the young Crabbe and Goyle to join? They aren't terribly intelligent, from what I hear,_ Voldemort said.

_No, they aren't very smart but I think they will be good additions. They are physically strong and seem to be very loyal. I think it might be good to show the world that we accept everyone just as they are and we give them duties that accentuate their skills. Those who are highly skilled can advance quickly through the ranks but even those who are not incredibly powerful or brilliant can still serve us faithfully and well. We don't want to intimidate people into thinking that they aren't strong enough or smart enough to join us._

_Yes, that is true. Their fathers have certainly served me well for all these long years. They might not ever lead a raid but they are certainly hard workers when given a task that is within their ability to complete. We will initiate them within the month._

_What of Cassandra? What exactly is her mission right now?  
_

She is a healer at St. Mungos and it is her job to begin to feel out the other healers, to see if they are content with the current restrictions placed on many of them by the Ministry and their forced discrimination against those with magical creature blood. Did you know that it is currently illegal to treat a patient with any magical creature blood regardless of his or her injury before you treat every single patient that is fully human? That means you can have a werewolf dying from silver poisoning but you can't do anything if you have a fully human kid in the hospital who has a scraped knee.

Dorian hissed angrily, startling the other three men who couldn't understand what was going on but could feel his anger. _We should send at least two more soldiers to be stationed there. They can start spreading the discontent that most of the healers must be feeling but might not be speaking of right now. Such laws go directly against the vows that they made when they became healers. To have them forced by their own government to be vow breakers is outrageous. We will strengthen the forces there in the hope that we can win all or at least most of them to our side. We will need the healers when the final fight begins._

_Yes. Whether or not the fight is bloody we cannot found a strong country without the healers' help. Tomorrow we will discuss whom to send over a breakfast with the elite. Can you meet for a brief time before breakfast for a full debriefing with Cassandra?  
_

_Of course_.

_What will you do about the young Malfoy? _Voldemort hissed.

Dorian sighed. _Meet with him, I guess. I can't wait to hear his explanation._

_I'm sure it will be creative, if nothing else_.

"Very well, Lucius. You may tell Crabbe and Goyle that their sons will be initiated within the month. We will alert them to the date when it draws closer. We will also be dining with the elite tomorrow at breakfast. You will tell Cassandra to meet us in the library at 9 a.m. for a quick debriefing before breakfast. You may tell the Malfoy heir that he has been granted an audience tomorrow at 11 a.m."

Voldemort cut in. "You will ensure that the boy is properly behaved tomorrow or his next punishment will make his first seem dear mercy. Am I clear?"

Lucius nodded frantically. "Of course, my Lord, Prince. You both have my humblest apologies for his prior behavior and I promise you that it will not happen again. If it does then I turn him over to you to punish as you see fit with no recriminations or attempts to save him from his earned punishment. I know when I need to step back as his Father and allow him to stand on his own as a man. I apologize again for his earlier comments. I thought him better trained."

"See to it that he is better trained by tomorrow, Lucius," Dorian said coldly.

The Prince and Voldemort stood, signaling that the meeting was over. The others quickly stood and left, leaving Severus and Dorian alone in the rooms once more.

Dorian quickly started pulling his robes off and then sat contentedly on the floor by his Master's feet. "Do you think it was alright that I delayed making a choice about next year?"

Severus stroked Dorian's hair lightly. "Yes, pet, I think it was the perfect choice. Once we know if the potion works or not we will be much more capable of picking something definitive. We should know in a few more days."

-

-

UPDATED Link to missing scene (most definitely R and possibly more, depending on how you chose to rate it…do not go to it if you aren't old enough) http/ hp.adultfanfiction .net/ story.php (question) no (equal) 544199354&chapter (equal)10

Remember to take out the spaces and fill in the (equals) and (question). Enjoy!


	11. An Uncomfortable Meeting

Chapter 11 

Cassandra walked behind her leaders toward the dining room in shock. They had both listened to her brief on the state of her mission at St. Mungos, heard her ideas for improvements and then agreed to everything that she asked for! Even more shocking though, they gave her _more_ than she had originally asked for.

She had never felt like a very useful soldier under Voldemort's reign. She had always been more of an intellectual than a soldier and her strengths lay in healing and mending rather than destroying and killing. She never thought herself useless to the cause but she had never been a key component either, regardless of her status as elite. It seemed that was about to change.

With the arrival of the Black Prince it seemed that the Dark Legion would be run quite differently now. Although her Lord had announced that their days of bullying and terrorizing were largely over she hadn't truly believed it until now. Here she was though, on her way to another meeting with all of the elite to brief them on the new plans and to pick her reinforcements. This was the first time in her memory that Voldemort had authorized the use of additional forces for such a non-violent use.

She watched the mysterious Prince as closely as she could from a few paces behind, trying to figure out this new mystery. He was quite young but yet he never seemed young in the way that the rest of his classmates often did. He had yet to do or say anything in her presence that reminded her that he was not yet eighteen. He was incredibly beautiful but his very aura seemed to discourage people from commenting on it. He had told them that as a half Incubus that he craved touch but thus far he seemed to avoid touching anyone at all.

He was full of contradictions but she was incredibly thankful that he had come to their side. She knew that with him on their side that they would win this war someday.

The small group approached the doors to the dining room and Lucius and Severus rushed to open them for their leaders. She watched Severus closely as well. He was turning into yet another mystery, closely tied to his Prince, the last person she would have ever imagined such a connection with.

Ava had told her a bit about their mission. The two had been lovers for almost ten years and no one expected them to keep secrets from each other. Ava had hesitated to tell even Cassandra everything though, saying that some things needed to remain unsaid. Cassie had assured her that she understood but she was still curious about what her lover had seen in the Prince's childhood home.

She was brought back to the present when she realized that she needed to take her seat. She quickly went around the table to sit next to Ava and smiled at her discreetly, letting her know that things had gone very well. She quickly looked up to her leaders though, ready for the meeting to begin.

Dorian sat down a bit more stiffly than usual, feeling the toy his Master had put in him earlier this morning move with each step. It was everything he could do to keep a straight face and to keep his sexual pull under control. Once he was settled into a position that allowed him to ignore the toy with some degree of control, Dorian nodded to Severus, allowing him to fill his plate for him.

They had settled on this in lieu of Severus feeding his sub or even giving him the first bite, both of which would have been inappropriate given the circumstances and their desire to keep the nature of their relationship secret.

He heaped the plate high, wanting Dorian to eat more since he had lost some weight during his stay with the Dursleys.

Dorian held in a sigh when he saw the enormous amount of food he was expected to eat but started on it diligently when he saw that Voldemort was also beginning on his plate after Lucius had helped to prepare it. Lucius prepared Voldemort's plate as one of many duties as his assistant rather than as any sort of service or dominance.

Luckily, Dorian and Severus were able to do something similar while attaching their own meanings without rousing anyone's suspicion.

"Today we must pick three members of the elite to provide back up for Cassandra at St. Mungos. She has been working there for a few years now, slowly feeling her fellow healers out to see what they think about the Ministry restrictions placed on them, particularly regarding magical creatures. She feels that the time is now ripe for a bit of a harder push. We will send three additional soldiers out there to help her," Voldemort began.

"Their main assignment will be to casually mention the restrictions when possible near the other healers to breed discontent. Most of the healers are already upset over the laws and the opportunity to air their grievances might cement their positions for them. Clearly, as employees at St. Mungos, the soldiers that we send will need to be either trained healers or assistant healers. One of them could either be a receptionist or an apprentice, depending on the skills of the soldier in question but we would like the other two to be high ranking within the hospital system. Does anyone have any suggestions?" Dorian asked, looking around at the stunned elite.

Severus was the first to speak, having kept largely quiet in the earlier meeting with Cassandra. "Loath though I am to say it, Neville Longbottom would be an ideal apprentice for healing plants and salves. He was pathetic when it came to potions but the boy has an unparalleled skill with plants."

Dorian started slightly when the thick butt plug that his Master had filled him with this morning seemed to pulse in him. He shook his head. He must be imagining things. He focused intently on the meeting, trying dutifully to ignore the temptation that the toy presented. He knew that his Master would be very disappointed in him if he came without permission and he _definitely_ did not have permission to orgasm during a meeting of the elite Death Eaters.

A quiet murmur filled the room. "The boy would be ideal," Mancur said finally. "From what I've heard his Herbology NEWT was higher than the most renowned Herbologists in the field right now."

"He's just a new recruit though. Can he be trusted with such an important mission?" Bella asked hesitantly. She didn't want to make it look like she had a personal vendetta against the poor boy—she had been the one, after all, to torture his parents. That had not been personal though and neither was this. The torture had not been intended to get as completely out of hand as it had. The current situation though was delicate and they needed to be careful.

"I know little of the boy other than what I saw during his test," Voldemort said thoughtfully. "He has a keen mind and seems to be fully faithful. There was no sign of disloyalty or doubt in his mind and his distrust of Dumbledore was genuine. What do you think, Prince?"

Dorian sat quiet for a moment, thinking it through. "I believe that he could do well," he said slowly, "but I wish to meet with him privately before we make the decision. Would the apprenticeship not require at least some potion making skills?"

Severus nodded. "It does, Prince. I believe that he could perform adequately though and his Herbology skills would outweigh any shortcomings in his potions. I could also offer him a bit of tutelage to help him brush up on some basic skills that he would need."

Dorian raised a single eyebrow at that last statement but finally nodded. "Who else should we send?" The butt plug pulsed again as Dorian shifted, trying to find a position that would make it easier to ignore it.

Rookwood spoke up. "My daughter graduated a few years ago from an alternative healing program. No one wanted to hire her because they feared Death Eater ties and she has been struggling to open her own practice ever since. Perhaps the situation has changed enough for them to reconsider her."

"Cassandra will look into it," the Prince announced.

Bella decided to speak up as well. "My father in law retired from his private healing practice a few years ago. I believe that he is not enjoying retirement as much as he thought he would though and might be interested in working again, especially if he could fulfill a higher purpose at the same time."

"You will send him to us at his earliest convenience," Voldemort ordered. Everyone knew that the unspoken words in an order such as that were 'within the next twenty four hours.' Bella nodded quickly.

Dorian shifted uncomfortably, the toy rubbing mercilessly against his prostate. If he didn't know better he would swear the damn thing was charmed and that Severus was controlling it. He shifted once more, eyes nearly rolling back in his head when the toy expanded with no warning. Yep, definitely charmed.

Voldemort watched him out of the corner of his eye and decided that his friend was too distracted to either continue or dismiss the meeting so he did the honors for him. The elite left quietly, all puzzled by the silence of their Prince toward the end of the meeting.

The room finally only housed Severus, Lucius, Tom and Dorian. Dorian simply sat still in his seat, eyes closed tightly and cheeks flushed with desire. Lucius and Voldemort looked from Severus to Dorian and back again.

"Perhaps our Prince needs to feed," Lucius said hesitantly. He wasn't sure where he stood in the Prince's favor with regard to such comments. He only prayed that since he had been more discrete than his son had been that he would be spared punishment.

Dorian opened his eyes, shocking Lucius and Voldemort by their unearthly glow. His eyes always seemed to have a bit of a glow to them but now they were positively radiant.

His gaze swung over to his Master and he shifted once more. "Leave us," he said quietly, his eyes never leaving Severus'. Voldemort and Lucius left by a side door, entering the leaders' private study to wait for their friends to finish.

Dorian slid to the ground, instantly kneeling before his Master who still remained in his seat.

Severus studied him quietly for a moment, enjoying the sight of the beautiful boy kneeling so obediently. He sighed happily with pleasure, feeling his own cock harden as he saw his pet's pink tongue glide over his full lips. He shifted a bit in his seat, spreading his legs wider in the process. "I believe you have some work to do, pet," he said harshly.

Dorian's eyes widened and he scooted further in between his Master's legs. He loved touching his Master and he was rarely given the privilege of doing so, especially after he had been only adequate in disguising his preoccupation earlier during the meeting.

He reached his hands up slowly, sneaking a quick look at his Master's face as he undid the buttons on his trousers. He sucked in a sharp breath when he saw the heavy, dripping cock emerge.

Sex Scene – see link below

After a few moments Severus pushed himself back up, slowly withdrawing from his exhausted sub. He kissed the nape of his neck lightly. "Did I hurt you, pet?"

Dorian shook his head in the negative as Severus pulled his robes completely off of his arms, finally freeing them. "It was perfect, Master."

Severus picked up the toy from the table and slipped it back inside his pet, smirking when Dorian groaned at the sensation on his already overwhelmed body. He gave his arse a quick smack and sat down in a chair, pulling Dorian into his lap.

Dorian immediately snuggled back into his warmth.

"Have you written out your list of potential recruits to go over with my Lord and Lucius?" Severus asked.

"Yes Sir. It's in the pocket of my robes," Dorian said, yawning as he wriggled around in his Master's lap to get comfortable.

"You know that you have an audience with Draco and a meeting following that with Voldemort and Luc about recruits, don't you?"

Dorian nodded silently, yelping when Severus gave him a quick spanking. "Yes Sir," he quickly answered.

"We need to get dressed, pet."

"Can't I just stay like this? Maybe they won't notice."

Severus snorted quietly. "If it were just the meeting with Voldemort and Lucius I would tell you that you could do as you wished. I believe that you would give Draco a coronary fit if you granted him his audience in the nude however."

Dorian sighed. "Yes Sir." He stood and grabbed his Master's robe, holding it out to help put on. Severus allowed him to pull the robe on and stood still for Dorian to button all of the tiny buttons.

When he was finished He nodded His permission for Dorian to dress himself and he quickly scrambled into his own robes. When they were both fully dressed (or as fully dressed as Dorian would ever get) they exchanged a long look, preparing for the transfer of power that would occur the moment that they walked through the door into the study.

-

UPDATED Link:

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	12. Draco's Audience

Chapter 12 

The Prince entered the study, Severus following close behind him and shutting the door behind them. Lucius looked at Dorian, taking in the obvious glow and hid a smile. It seemed that the two were good for each other. Severus was able to calm the Prince down almost immediately and the Prince was evidently good for his friend as well. He had never seen him as happy as he had been since the Prince had joined their side.

Tom smirked up at him from his position in his armchair near the fire. "Feeling better?"

Dorian smirked. "Much. Now, what do we have next on the agenda?"

Lucius cleared his throat nervously. He was at least grateful that the Prince had just fed before the interview with his son. Hopefully it would put him in a more forgiving mood. "You have an interview with Draco Malfoy."

The Prince nodded thoughtfully. "Very well. Leave us," he said to Severus and Lucius. The two men murmured obedient farewells and backed out of the room, leaving Dorian and Voldemort alone. _Sorry about that_, Dorian said in Parseltongue, nodding toward the meeting room with a grin.

_It happens. Severus was able to please you?_

"Of course," Dorian purred, slipping out of Parseltongue. "He always does."

_You don't want anyone else?_ Voldemort asked, curious at the thought that the handsome young man was content with only one man in his bed. He could have anyone—hell, he could have _everyone_ if he only said the word. For some reason though he was content with just Severus. Severus was certainly attractive but well, hell! He could have anyone!

_You know he is my mate_, Dorian hissed a warning.

I meant no harm or any offense to your mate, I am just curious. From what I know of your Father he certainly spread his affections far and wide. Why do you not do so as well?

_My Father never found his mate. A large part of his intensely high libido was due to that. It is not possible for a part Incubus to be truly sated by anyone other than his mate. Without one my Father needed to feed about twice as much as I. _

_He never found his mate?_ Voldemort asked incredulously. _How is that possible? I thought that all magical creatures had a destined mate._

_They do, that was the problem. If it was just sex or affection or even love that he was looking for he could have dealt with it while he was still young. That wasn't it though. He never found his mate or any hint of her. Well, I assume it was a woman since he tended to prefer women. That was a large part of the reason behind his affair with my mother. For some reason he found her calming and he could feed better from her than from others although it was clear that she was not his mate. Regardless, he couldn't find his mate. We assume that his mate either died before he could discover her or else hadn't yet been born._

_That would have created an enormous age gap._

_Look at my mate and I. We have nineteen years between us._

_That's true. I guess in the long run it was lucky, really. If he had found her before going to Azkaban he would have lost his mind, wouldn't he, being separated from her for so long?_

Dorian nodded sadly. _In the end he was starting to lose it anyhow. He was visibly struggling in that last year. I don't think he could have made it much longer._

Tom reached over and patted his friend's clenched hand lightly before standing up at the loud knock on the door. "It appears that the boy is here for his audience," he said, slipping into his own role as Lord Voldemort.

Dorian rearranged himself in the chair to sit up a bit more although he was learning idly on the arm with his legs splayed out. Voldemort's eyes nearly rolled back as his ally's sensuality rolled unconsciously off of him in thick waves, making even _him_ hard. _Reign it in a bit_ he hissed, warning him.

Dorian nodded and did so, having been unaware that he had lost control as much as he had. Merlin, he needed his Master to help him get back in control again. That month had done more damage to him than he had thought. Going without feeding was always dangerous for an Incubus but going for an entire month without any physical contact with anyone he loved and trusted was what had really damaged him. Usually if he couldn't have Severus he could be near someone else to at least take the edge off.

He nodded again, showing that he was ready. Voldemort walked out of a side door to their private sanctum that was visible only to the two of them. Dorian slipped his mask fully on, wiping any trace of emotion from his face. "Enter," he ordered coldly.

Draco entered hesitantly, took a few steps into the room allowing the door to be closed and then immediately sank to his knees, keeping his eyes firmly on the ground. "Forgive me Prince for my inexcusable comments. I offer no excuse and welcome my just punishment."

Dorian looked down at him indifferently, idly noting his nearly violent trembling. "Come closer," he ordered. Draco shuffled closer so that he was only a few feet away. Dorian reached out his hand and pulled his school rival's chin up to look him in the eyes. "You disappointed me," he said coldly.

Draco flinched but didn't say anything.

"Out of everyone in that school I expected _you_ to be our most competent soldier."

Draco flinched again. He had really fucked up. He was a Malfoy for Merlin's sake! He should have known better. Now he had disappointed his Prince and his Lord. He would never rise above this. His Father would undoubtedly feel the humiliation as well, once Draco was officially relegated to the role of common soldier with no hopes of rising. The disappointment was especially acute given his promising start with his Prince's request that he be sent on the mission to his muggle relatives' home.

Dorian let go of his chin, pushing him aside so that he could stand. Draco looked up at him warily from his heap on the ground, not daring to right himself or to move at all. "How are the new recruits to know how to behave if they see you acting like this? How are they ever to learn if even _you_ cannot? Is it a mistake to allow such young soldiers to join my forces?" he pondered, pacing restlessly.

Draco looked up at this, wondering if he were expected to answer. At his Prince's impatient gesture he spoke up. "Please do not blame the other recruits for my mistakes. I was stupid and acting like a child. I was upset that my godfather hadn't told me about his relationship, particularly one with…you" he finished lamely.

"Does your godfather make it a habit to treat you as his confidant?" Dorian asked glacially, knowing full well that Severus did not. Severus was close with his godson but they were by no means confidants in any definition of the word.

Draco shook his head. "No sir. I have no excuse for my behavior, or at least no good one. It was rude and inappropriate and I succeeded in insulting my godfather as well as my Prince."

"Yes you did," Dorian snapped. "The nature of our relationship is none of your business soldier, and you would do well to remember that. You will respect Severus Snape or you will not live to regret it, do I make myself clear?"

Draco stared up at his incredulously, his entire world shaken by his Prince's words. Everything that he had thought to be true about his godfather—about his relationship with the Prince—about the Prince as a person was completely wrong. "You're upset with me because I disrespected my godfather and not because I disrespected you?"

"How on earth could your comment have hurt me, boy? By stating that I enjoy your godfather's affections? I don't give a damn. Half the Death Eaters already know and the rest suspect. The man sleeps in my bed every night. The soldiers would be idiots not to know by now. Your words had absolutely no effect on my own life. You hurt _him_ immeasurably with your childish insults and your crude remarks. He expected better of you. He expected and deserved your respect, as both your godfather and your superior. I will not see my mate disrespected."

Draco looked up in wonder before looking down at the carpet again, utterly humiliated. In his petty rivalry he has hurt his godfather, and it took his childhood rival to point it out to him. He was an idiot. "Forgive me, Prince, I did not understand. I did not know he was your mate and I thought you upset because I had offended you and not because I had hurt Severus. I…I didn't understand that you truly cared about him," he ended quietly, still seemingly shocked that this was the case. He had gotten worked up in the first place because he had been convinced that his godfather was being forced to act as a sexual slave for their new Prince and he felt certain that Severus would never willingly do such a thing. He had never stopped to think about the fact that the relationship might be consensual.

Dorian took a few quick steps over to him, making Draco start to back away anxiously before recalling his situation and stilling, ready to accept any punishment his Prince doled out. The Prince grabbed a handful of the silky blond hair and pulled him roughly to his knees to look him in the eyes. "I don't give a damn if you like me or not boy but you _will_ remember that the man that you disparaged is my love, my mate. I will protect him at all costs. I bought him from Voldemort to protect him. Saving him from the likes of you is hardly worth my effort. Do not make this mistake again," he said, pushing Draco away from him again.

"Forgive me sir," Draco whispered again.

Dorian stood at the fireplace for a while, not speaking. Draco looked anxiously around the room wondering if he was to leave now but not wanting to since he hadn't been given the order to go yet. Finally, after fifteen minutes of silence Dorian spoke again. "I think I like you."

Draco started at the non-sequiter. "Sir?"

"Yes, I believe I do," he announced, this time with certainty. "You will correct your behavior and then you will assist me in training the new recruits. I might bring you with me to work in Hogsmeade a bit. Not much but enough to amuse a wealthy playboy looking for something to fill his hours with. Yes, I think that will do nicely."

Draco was completely thrown by this entire conversation. "Prince, are you certain? You…I thought that you hated me," he finished lamely.

"Why in hell would you think that?" Dorian snapped before settling down again. "I apologize, Draco. Believe it or not, I'm told I can be a bit irritable at times. Really though, you need to learn that appearances can be deceiving."

"Yes sir," Draco stuttered out. "Is there anything you wish from me?"

Dorian paced for a moment. "I have a task I wish for you to fulfill. It sounds like something unimportant—servant's work—but I need to give it to someone I can trust to do it." Draco nodded. Hell, he would become his Prince's private toilet cleaner if that were what was needed to get into his good graces again. "I need you to keep a watch out for my owl, a white snowy owl. She will come bearing an important missive which must be given directly to me. All owls are currently directed to house elves who check for curses and jinxes and then deliver them on to the person in question. You must do this for me because no one else may touch it, including giving it to a house elf to deliver to me or to Voldemort. I will need it immediately whenever it arrives."

"Of course, sir," Draco said, the entire time wondering what the letter could contain that was so important.

"There is no need to stand outside waiting for her at all hours of the day. She will arrive in the evening or early night hours sometime in the next few days."

Draco nodded eagerly. "Yes Prince. Thank you Prince."

Dorian waved him away, beginning to get bored with him. "You may go now. Send in Severus on your way out. If he is not waiting outside the room then please either fetch him yourself or send someone trustworthy to do so."

Draco finally stood up and bowed again before backing out of the room, unable to believe his good luck. His Father and Severus were waiting outside, both looking distinctly anxious and both apparently shocked speechless by his curse-free appearance. "He wishes to see you godfather," he murmured to Severus before turning to his Father.

Lucius motioned him to remain silent before leading him to a side room and placing up privacy spells. "What happened?"

"It was unbelievable. I made my apology and then he told me that he wasn't mad at me for disrespecting him he was mad at me for disrespecting _Severus_. And he told me that they are mates. Did you know that?"

"I had assumed as much but he hadn't officially told me. What else happened?"

"He ripped my hair damn near out of my head and then pushed me to the ground when he was done yelling at me. I apologized again and then he stood there in silence forever. Then he suddenly said that he liked me and that he wanted me to help train the new recruits. And _then_ he announced that he wants me to come assist him in his Hogsmeade shop! What the hell is going on?"

Lucius thought silently for a moment. "Our Prince is a very unusual young man and he seems to be very moody. All I can guess is that something about your cheek appealed to his sense of humor and he has decided to keep you close to him. Be careful though. What amuses him today may infuriate him another day. The Prince can be more mercurial than Voldemort himself from what I have seen."

"I will be. I can't believe my good fortune. You don't think that he…wants me…do you?" he asked nervously. If forced to submit to his Prince he would do his duty as a loyal and obedient soldier but he had never been attracted to men and he shuddered to think of sharing a lover with his godfather—or worse, engaging in a threesome with him.

Lucius shook his head. "I doubt it. He is incredibly territorial about Severus—he won't even let _me_ sit next to him—and I can't imagine him letting anyone else near him. He doesn't seem to want to stray either. I think he just genuinely likes you. I need to go to another meeting with the Prince and our Lord. We need to discuss new recruits. Stay outside the door in case he wishes for you to be present but don't count on him admitting you to the meeting."

Draco nodded. "Yes sir. Thank you for arranging my interview with him."

"Thank your godfather for letting him feed just before the meeting," Lucius said with a wink, making his son turn a bit green.

BPBPBPBPBPBPBPBPBP

Dorian had pulled his robes off the moment that the door was firmly closed behind Severus and he knelt down, waiting for him.

"How did your meeting go, pet?" Severus asked, fighting to hide his apprehension. He knew that Dorian was moody at the best of times and that he had a vicious temper yet, surprisingly enough, neither trait seemed to rear itself during the interview with Draco. Severus had expected his godson to be removed on a stretcher, especially after their years of bickering at Hogwarts. Granted, the bickering had nearly stopped in the later years but it had been pretty bad in their first few years there.

Dorian scooted in closer to his Master and leaned against his leg. "It went well, Master. He apologized for his rudeness toward you and promised to never disrespect you again. Believe it or not, he was trying to defend your honor in some sort of twisted way. It was rather endearing. I think I may bring him to my shop in Hogsmeade for a few hours a week to amuse me."

"How will you cover the fact that you have one of the wealthiest young men in the world working as a common shopkeeper?"

"The absurdly wealthy always have little jobs like that that they do for amusement. I don't see why he can't imply the same should anyone question it."

Severus tugged lightly on his hair, making him look up at him. "I am pleased that you kept your temper so well, pet."

Dorian smiled and rested his head on his Master's knee again, purring quietly in contentment.

Tom knocked on the door to enter again, having waited during the meeting in an adjacent room that was only accessible to the two leaders while reading some recent reports from their spies. The sanctum allowed them a safe haven in which to hide or to get away from the world as well as a convenient place to go to when one or the other needed to use the study for a private meeting. It stored their most valuable texts and plans and no one but the two of them, Lucius, and Severus even knew it existed.

"Enter," Dorian said without thinking.

Voldemort walked in, raising an eyebrow when he saw the situation. His ally sat naked on the ground while Severus sat fully clothed in one of the two matching armchairs intended for the leaders. Severus looked a bit uncomfortable but Dorian shrugged it aside.

"I see," Tom said before sitting down and acting as if there was nothing unusual about the situation. He had long known that _something_ was different about their relationship but he couldn't figure out what it was. Guess he knew now. He wasn't quite certain how they managed the dynamics of it but they were evidently doing well regardless of the difficulties. "How did your meeting with young Malfoy go?"

"Well enough. I've asked him to assist me in training the new recruits and he might assist me a bit in Hogsmeade next year."

"Really? I expected you to teach the boy a few lessons."

"I thought about it but the truth is, he amuses me. He's got to have iron balls with the sheer number of times he has bucked tradition and spoken his mind. Not to mention all of the Slytherins respond well to him and a large number of our recruits are from Slytherin house. He's also a complete bastard, although I suppose he is kinder than I am. Since you and I are far too busy to deal with the recruits on a daily basis, he should prove helpful in getting the soldiers into shape. I think that a large part of his problem is completely wasted talent. He has been allowed to laze around for far too long."

Voldemort looked thoughtful. "I believe you were right to give him the positions you did. I think that just might be the thing to get him to his potential. Drink?" he asked, looking to Severus for confirmation.

Severus nodded for the both of them and Voldemort poured three whiskeys, passing two over to Severus. Severus set both on the table at his side and took a small sip of one before combining the two drinks into one glass and passing it on to Dorian to take a sip.

"How goes the potion?" Voldemort asked.

"It will be finished tomorrow, my Lord," Severus said, hesitantly placing his hand on Dorian's head once more, although he did not run his fingers through the curls as he usually did. "I believe that Dorian will possess the talent. He revealed to me last night that his Father had some select metamorphmagus abilities. What all was he able to do?" he asked, prodding Dorian lightly.

Dorian quickly handed back the glass as he answered. "He could change his eye color and his hair color and he could alter the length of his hair and beard at will. He couldn't manage any skin color changes, height or weight changes or a sex change. It was enough to avoid detection which was all he was concerned about."

"You will need to cover your scar though," Voldemort said thoughtfully, swirling his drink around for a moment before downing it. "I wonder if it will be possible even if you have the full ability. No one has ever tried to alter a curse scar before, have they?"

"I doubt I can remove it but I hope to be able to move it to a different location," Dorian said.

"We believe that will be easier," Severus said, his hand finally returning to it's prior occupation of carding through his pet's hair as he grew more comfortable with the situation. Because they had kept their relationship a secret for so long they had only been open about their relationship in front of a very select group of people.

Voldemort smirked when Dorian started purring contentedly.

They heard a knock on the door that led to the hallway, meaning that either Lucius was returning for their recruitment meeting or else another soldier wanted entrance. Dorian growled low in his throat but stood up at his Master's silent demand and allowed Severus to assist him in dressing again. He flopped back down in the chair that Severus had occupied at his Master's motion and glared petulantly at the door. "Enter," he yelled, not bothering to hide his irritation.

Voldemort stifled a laugh. Severus turned his back to the door to hide his own smile from whoever entered.

Lucius walked in hesitantly, sensing the strange atmosphere in the room. "Is our meeting still scheduled?" he asked hesitantly, bracing himself for a punishment.

Dorian's anger evaporated into a blinding smile when he saw that it was Lucius. "Charming son you have, Luc. I've decided to promote him. You will ensure that he is capable of his new position," he declared imperiously.

"Of course my Prince," Lucius said, all the time wondering what exactly he was preparing Draco for. "He told me that you like him."

"Yes. He amuses me. He has lovely hair."

Lucius winced, remembering his son's words about the Prince nearly tearing it out of his head. He hoped the amusement didn't come from that or else his son would be bald in no time.

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A/N: Please note I do not, in any way, wish to imply that the soldiers of any country are required or expected to serve the sexual whims of their superiors. I use the term 'soldier' incredibly loosely in this fic but do not wish to demean the work of any member of a military for any country. I'm talking about Death Eaters, who obviously run on slightly different rules and morals than the average people. Just a note to anyone who might have taken offense. People who offend easily tend to stay away from my fics though. At least they have done in the past, since I have yet to get a true flame knock on wood

Thanks for the lovely reviews to date. Let me know what you're thinking!


	13. The Owl Arrives

A/N: Yay smart DSL help person who figured out the problem with my DSL was a crossed wire or something like that. It works now! Hopefully I can start posting more regularly. I'm a bit behind in my writing since so many things in my house decided to break last week but I've gotten them all fixed and have all day tomorrow to write. Enjoy! 

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Chapter 13 

Draco knocked urgently on his Prince's bedroom door, praying that he wouldn't be cursed for waking him up. The door suddenly sprung open without any discernable spell or movement and he was greeted with the sight of a barely dressed and visibly angry Prince. He noticed his godfather standing in the background but he doubted he would be able to help him much. He didn't want him to be cursed as well.

"Forgive my interruption, Prince. The owl came," he said as quickly as he could, holding out the letter in a visibly shaking hand.

Dorian snatched the letter from him and turned away, pacing through the room as he read the letter. Draco silently shut the door behind himself, preventing any passing soldiers or the guards from seeing into the room. Dorian finally looked up, evidently ready to issue orders not curses.

"Very good. Go and call Lucius, Bellatrix, Lupin and Goyle. They have a mission."

"Yes sir," Draco said, slipping from the room once more.

"What happened, pet?" Severus asked once they were alone again.

"Ginevra is ready to come to us. She is awaiting your arrival," he said absently, still in his Prince mode.

"Explain," Severus ordered.

Dorian immediately slipped back into himself, fully shedding his Prince persona. "She wishes to join our side, Master. She begged for assistance before I left and I gave it to her in the form of Hedwig. I told her to send a letter to me when she was ready for us. I knew that all of her correspondence would be watched carefully so I told her that the words wouldn't matter, I would send help either way. She was able to reveal though that they ordered her to send Hedwig out in an attempt to find me so she took the opportunity to go ahead and make her move."

Severus closed his eyes. "When did Ginevra make her decision?"

"A few months ago Sir," Dorian whispered.

"You need to tell me these things, pet," Severus said firmly and slowly, holding on to his patience with an iron grip so he wouldn't yell at his pet. "I nearly sent someone to obliviate the girl today when I realized that she could be telling Dumbledore about us."

"Forgive me, Sir."

"You must stop keeping these secrets. I can't take care of you if you won't let me," Severus said, his anger bleeding through in spite of his best efforts.

Dorian whimpered softly and stepped closer to him. "I'm sorry Master. I wasn't sure that it was my secret to tell."

Severus pulled him into his arms and rested his chin on Dorian's curly hair. "I know it is a difficult decision pet and I certainly don't wish to take away every bit of privacy that you and your friends have. If there is any possibility that someone could be hurt if you don't tell me then you must tell me immediately. You know that the Weasleys are a prominent light family. The chances were too great that we would conduct a raid on them without consulting you first should the opportunity arise. We have had standing orders for the last four years to kill or snatch any Weasley on sight. I need to know that she is on our side so I can protect her as well."

Dorian nodded. "Will you go get her for me, Sir?"

Severus sighed. "Of course I will, pet. I wouldn't trust anyone else to the mission. Where is she?"

"The Burrow. All of the family is there."

"I see. Are we making this look like a raid and kidnapping or will she be waiting for us?"

"If all goes according to plan she will make it look like she ran away from home but you need to be prepared to stage a raid. You have to remember that she is still underage and won't be able to help you much."

"I know how old the chit is," Severus said fondly in spite of his rough words. Truthfully, he had always liked the Weasley girl and when she had discovered their relationship almost two years ago she had become an even closer friend of Harry's. He had needed friends so desperately then after…well, after everything that had happened. He knew that his pet loved the girl as his sister and he had hoped that she would accept Dorian's decisions with the ease and grace that she had accepted his relationship with her Potions Professor.

"Thank you Sir," Dorian said, cuddling deeper into his Master's arms. "Be safe," he whispered, just before they had to break apart for the upcoming meeting. Severus quickly spelled some clothes on as he heard the knock announcing the arrival of the soldiers.

Draco knocked on the door again, followed by his Father, his Aunt Bella, Remus and Goyle Sr. They were admitted almost immediately.

Dorian pulled his dressing gown closed and belted it tightly, having not bothered to do so earlier when Draco had entered with the letter. "You will all leave immediately on a mission to collect a new recruit. She will be waiting for you at the edge of her property by the lake. If all goes according to plan you will simply collect her and leave. If the alarm is somehow raised then you will be faced with fighting against her six brothers and parents, possibly ultimately dealing with reinforcements from the Order. Should such a situation occur one of you will report to me immediately so I can send more soldiers but the mission will _not_ be called off for any reason."

Draco's jaw dropped as he realized whom his Prince was speaking of.

"This is the reason I have chosen you six for this raid," Dorian explained, ignoring the soldiers' open shock. "Bellatrix, Lucius, Remus and Severus will be in charge of any attacks that need to be made. Draco, you will keep watch for any intruding family members and assist as needed, contacting me should you feel the need for reinforcements or should one of your superiors wish you to do so. Goyle, if everything else fails your duty—your only duty—is to get the girl to safety. Simply grab her and run if need be." He handed the large man a portkey that was hanging on a necklace. "Here is a portkey that you will carry on your person for such a situation. I will hold you personally responsible if any harm comes to her."

Thomas Goyle nodded, understanding his orders well and he promptly put the necklace on, slipping it under his robes for safety. He was often sent on missions for just such reasons. While the others were busy covering his back and using fancy curses that he could never hope to master he would simply go in and grab whatever or whomever they were looking for. He was immensely strong and physical fighting was his forte rather than using his magic. He had never failed a mission yet when he was given orders such as these.

"Are we going after the Weasley girl?" Bella asked hesitantly, having put the clues together earlier as well. There weren't that many witches in England that had six older brothers and were too young to come to the Death Eaters on their own.

"Ginevra Weasley decided to join our forces many months ago. Now it is time to collect her. We must protect what is ours."

"Yes, my Prince," she murmured obediently, not wishing to raise his ire and be removed from the mission.

"Leave me," Dorian ordered, watching as the soldiers filed out. He closed his eyes for a moment and contacted Voldemort, letting him know about the most recent developments. He normally would have done so before placing the orders but he needed to fix things with his Master at the time so he had delayed doing so.

Tom expressed irritation until Dorian sent him a compressed memory of his time with his Master and then Tom gave him a mental nod of approval before deciding to join him in waiting up for the team to return. Like Dorian (although neither would ever admit it), he worried about his soldiers when they went on missions such as this one.

The two settled down comfortably with drinks, ready for a long night. If all went well the group would be back within the hour. If a battle ensued they could be faced with a multi hour fight.

"I'm sorry I did not understand about your relationship before. I didn't mean to make things difficult with you," Voldemort said.

"You didn't create any problems. We both know that we need to be different people outside this room. The only time we have had any real difficulty with it was when we had the first meeting planning our movements for the next school year. We settled that quickly enough."

Voldemort smirked. "You certainly did. So, young Ginevra Weasley wishes to join us?"

"She has hated the light nearly as long as I have. A while back when I was faced with the betrayal she stayed at my side. She found out about my relationship with Severus and to our shock she fully supported it, even when she knew the exact nature of it. We spent a number of nights together in His rooms playing chess with us and talking about various problems in the wizarding world. I was terrified I would lose her when I came to the Dark but she had seen my decision long before I did myself. She told me subtly over a year ago that she would always be on my side no matter what happened and she told me her intentions plainly three months ago when she realized that the move would happen during the summer."

"What will she do about school next year?"

"I hoped to finish her education here among the Death Eaters. I thought we might wish to consider opening a school of sorts for students like her who wish to come to our side but cannot because of their parents. It gives them the security of a home and the knowledge that they will still finish their education while still following their ideals."

"That is an interesting idea," Tom said thoughtfully. "We do need to keep some students in Hogwarts though to be able to assist in recruiting."

"Yes, yes, of course. I wouldn't recommend pulling the Death Eater children. They already have a guaranteed home with their parents and there is no problem with them following their ideals and joining our side. The school would only be intended for those who find their home situation unbearable and need a safe haven."

"This bears further thought." The two men started as they heard the soldiers coming back down the hall, Severus knocking lightly on the door.

"Enter." The small group entered looking none the worse for the wear. Ginevra smiled happily when she saw her friend. "You had no problems?" he asked the group, not acknowledging her presence yet and in fact, barely glancing at her.

Ginny's smile didn't fade at all. She had been expecting it. She was just thrilled to see him looking healthy and…well, not _happy_ at the moment but definitely more content that usual. She could tell that he was happy though, even though he was concealing it.

"None, my Prince," Lucius replied. "We took only a small satchel of clothing with us to help convince them that Miss Weasley ran away."

The group seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief when Lucius took over the role as spokesman for their mission. They were all relieved to be safely back at Headquarters. Attacking such a large family of light wizards was unnerving. Being told by Severus moments before they left that the young lady in question was all but a sister to their Prince made it terrifying. Losing or hurting her would result in death, of that they were quite certain.

"Very good. Ginevra, you will be inducted during a general meeting with young Crabbe and Goyle in two weeks."

Thomas Goyle grinned when he heard this, finally hearing officially when his son would be inducted. He had feared that under this new rule that there would be no place for his boy. He was no fool: he knew his son was slow and only about as powerful as he himself was. He was relieved to find that his Prince was fair and just as the soldiers had thought he would be as evidenced by the Mark he had chosen to brand them with on that first day. Evidently the scales of justice were able not only to meet out proper punishment but also to weigh the worth of those around him and find value in those whom others would throw aside. Dumbledore had certainly never bothered with either of the Goyles before.

Dorian continued. "Before you can stay in our Headquarters though you must pass the legilimency test to protect out other soldiers. Are you prepared?"

"Yes Dorian," she said quietly, stepping closer to Voldemort and kneeling. "I pledge my loyalty to my Lord Voldemort and my Prince. I submit myself willingly to any test or proofs that they desire."

Voldemort bent down and clasped her face in his hands, looking deep into her mind. After a long time he straightened again. "Welcome to our home, Ginevra."

She smiled happily, completely unfazed by the test she had just endured. She had long known that she would undergo such a trial. Dorian and Remus had both explained it to her, making it clear that her trial would be worse than most since she came from such a light family. It was not completely uncommon for a young witch or wizard to turn from their family's ways but the leaders still needed to use more caution when faced with such a situation. "Thank you my Lord," she said softly.

"You are dismissed," Dorian said to the soldiers, his approval clear on his face although his words were still empty of emotion. "Draco," he called out, stopping the young man before he left. "Tell a house elf to prepare the rooms next to mine for Miss Weasley. Have them create a connecting door between her rooms and my sitting room."

Draco bowed quickly and left to deliver the message. Only Severus, Ginevra, and the two leaders remained.

Ginny hugged Dorian immediately. "Oh Dorian, I missed you so much," she said, clinging tightly to him.

"Was it very bad?" he asked her softly, brushing her long hair from her eyes.

"They were wretched. Oh, nothing like the Dursleys, I know. I almost feel like an idiot for complaining about them to you."

"Don't sister, I understand. What happened?"

"They are all in a panic about your supposed disappearance. Ron keeps gloating about how he will be the one to 'save' you and that you never could fight anyone and certainly couldn't save yourself. He's telling everyone that Harry Potter was a weak fool and that he could beat him with his eyes closed. Honestly Dorian, I wanted to punch him."

"You should have," Severus muttered, sitting down in an armchair beside his Lord. Dorian immediately sat at his feet but he conjured a comfortable footstool for his sister to sit on while staying at his side.

"What else happened? What are they doing right now?" Dorian asked, holding her hand still, not ready to let go yet. This was the way that his need to touch people typically manifested itself—as a high level of what would seem to some to be nearly inappropriate touching although it never progressed to anything truly inappropriate. He often held his godfather's hand and sometimes slept in his bed when he couldn't be near his Master. The less contact he had with his mate, the more contact he needed with others. The contact was more soothing when it was with someone he loved and trusted. Even though he had clearly fed recently he still needed to be near his sister after being separated for so long.

"The twins are just as bad, really. I can't believe I'm saying it but they are turning into mini-Percy-s. It's terrible! They used to be so wonderful and now all they care about is making more money and tricking Slytherins. It's like they are a pair of demented three year olds. Bill and Charlie aren't around that much but they _seem_ to still be on the light side. I can't really tell. And mum is going around moaning all the time about how we are all going to die because Harry had to go and get himself kidnapped. Dad just agrees with her. It's awful!"

"You're here now though," Dorian said happily, stroking her hand lightly. "You're just in time to see if the metamorphmagus potion works on me. We're testing it tomorrow morning."

"So you finally made it Severus?" she asked her Professor eagerly. The two had long since given up formal titles since they spent so much time together. It also felt a bit ridiculous to resort to formalities when Dorian was lounging around stark naked.

"Yes, my pet talked me into it, but only because it will be the ultimate protection for him next year should he truly open the shop."

"What shop?"

"We are thinking of having Dorian open a shop of some sort in Hogsmeade for recruitment purposes," Voldemort explained. "We haven't decided what type of shop yet though."

"Can I help work in it?" she asked eagerly.

"You'll have to do something about that hair," Severus said, nodding to her long, flamingly red locks. She shrugged her shoulders indifferently, more than ready to dye it or cut it, whatever it would take if she could stay with Dorian. "We'll see how far you get in your education this summer and how much Dorian is willing to tutor you next year. I don't want you to miss out on your degree because of all of this."

"I won't. I'll study really hard. Please Severus, you have to let me!"

Dorian and Voldemort snorted at the same time. "I believe you are asking the wrong man for permission," Tom finally said, although not without amusement. "Prince and I are the only ones who can give such orders."

Ginny blushed. "Forgive me, my Lord. I am accustomed to asking Severus for permission to do things with Dorian since he is my brother's Master. I forgot. I'll try not to do it again."

"Understandable, my girl," he said with a gentleness that would have floored even the members of the elite. He found that he rather liked the young girl. He had certainly been impressed with the insight he had gained through looking at her mind so thoroughly. As he had seen more of what his ally had been faced with in the last few years his respect for Ginevra's unfailing friendship and loyalty had grown. "Don't allow it to happen again, especially in front of anyone else. If you do it when there are others present to hear you then I _will_ punish you appropriately."

Ginny shuddered at the promise. "No sir, I won't," she promised quickly.

"You speak of the Prince as your brother. Do you then deny your blood brothers?" Voldemort asked.

"I am no longer a Weasley," she announced firmly, holding her chin high as if defying him to contradict her. "I left that name behind today."

"She's a Black," Dorian announced just as resolutely. Ginny nodded emphatically once more, indicating her agreement and her approval.

"Very well. Will we be announcing her as such to the Death Eaters?"

Dorian thought quietly for a few moments. No one interrupted his thoughts, Severus simply stroking his hair lightly while Ginny held his hand firmly. "I believe it may be time to reveal my true name to the rest of the Death Eaters. They already know I am part Incubus, the rest of the revelation should actually be a comfort to them, given their distrust and dislike of James Potter. We should make that announcement in the next few days and then they should be ready for us to introduce Ginevra as my sister on her initiation day."

"That sounds good. I believe that the soldiers are ready to hear your true parentage and name. They already respect and fear you and this will only add to it. Speaking of fear though, are you ever intending to undo the curse you put on that impudent boy?" he asked, inquiring after the poor soldier whom Dorian had cursed in the garden a few days previously.

Dorian shrugged. "I hadn't thought about it. Perhaps."

"I don't particularly care one way or another but it has certainly earned you a reputation among the soldiers, particularly the young ones what with the punishment you inflicted upon young Malfoy as well."

"What did you do to Malfoy?" Ginny asked, curious but not even remotely vindictive. She had long ago laid aside any true anger she had for the boy and now she just felt a vague sense of amusement around him. His insults were often quite amusing, especially since they were often aimed at Ron.

"A simple pain curse," Dorian said blandly.

Severus choked. "He used a curse that is many levels worse than the Cruciatus but remains legal simply because so few wizards are capable of even casting it that the Ministry has never wasted the time to outlaw it."

"What on earth did he do?"

"He insulted my mate," Dorian snarled, his anger rising immediately as if the event had just happened. He had hoped that with time his nearly violent defense of his mate would calm down but it didn't appear to be doing so yet.

Ginny shook her head. "Stupid boy. He's smarter than that. I hope he learned his lesson."

"He did, evidently well enough for Dorian to promote him this afternoon," Voldemort said, laughing lightly. The sight of Voldemort laughing would have sent many a strong witch or wizard to shaking but Ginny simply smiled back. She had always had nerves of steel and she wasn't terribly afraid of him. It helped that she knew that she would never be punished on a whim but only for a true misstep, what with her place as the Black Prince's adopted sister. She, like Remus, would enjoy a sort of halcyon existence in the Death Eaters given their close ties to the Prince.

"He amuses me," Dorian defended himself. "And he apologized very well. He was actually shaking at one point. Quite a nice touch."

Severus cuffed him lightly on the head. "You need to remember that you can be intimidating at times, pet," he said, a warning in his voice. He tried to keep away from controlling or commenting on his pet's behavior as the Prince but they were in an odd situation once again where he was half in and half out of his role as the Prince.

"Yes Sir," he said, smiling. "I didn't purposefully scare him, he just scares easily."

Ginevra snorted but kept quiet about the topic. "Can he show me to my rooms?" she asked Severus, eager to see her new home.

Severus nodded. "Go and approve her rooms for her use and then return. I expect you back here within thirty minutes. No dallying."

"Thank you Sir," Dorian said, leaning in for a quick kiss and then hesitating, knowing that he shouldn't make the first move. He was terrible at remembering this—worse than he was at remembering to keep his clothes on unless he was given permission to take them off, worse than he was at remembering to wait for permission to give his Master a blow job.

Severus sighed and pulled him closer, giving him a quick but deep kiss. "Go," he ordered, smiling lightly as Dorian grabbed Ginevra's hand and pulled her out of the room, eager to see the new rooms that were attached to his. It was rare that his lover was comfortable enough to act like a seventeen year old and being near Ginevra often brought out the kid in him.

"He's a fascinating young man," Voldemort said, looking after him as well. He was amazed with the ease with which his ally picked up and discarded such immense power. He certainly couldn't have done it once, much less multiple times throughout the day or even conversation as Dorian did. The most fascinating part was the way that both aspects of his character made sense and fit with him—neither one seemed to be a fabrication. He was perhaps more comfortable in his relationship with Severus but he certainly wasn't _uncomfortable_ as the Prince. There was definitely a part of him that craved the Darkness and hungered for power and control. "And he has chosen his sister well. Not many young women could have settled into the situation so well."

"They are both unusual and amazing individuals. I don't know what Dorian would have done without her over the years. Thank the gods that she stayed faithful to him through it all."

"I don't see how I can separate them next year," Voldemort said, "especially after what I have seen in her memories. I only caught glimpses and flashes but it was enough to convince me to make no effort to separate the two. I suppose I will allow Prince to make the final decision but I will push for having her at the shop a few days a week at least, to help him keep his calm."

"I will as well, when he asks my opinion."

Voldemort nodded. "Good night, my old friend."

"Good night, my Lord."


	14. Discipline

Warning: The sex gets a bit…well…kinkier in this chapter. If anything resembling BDSM squicks you this probably isn't the fic for you and this _definitely _isn't the chapter for you so don't read the unedited version at Consider yourself warned. 

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Chapter 14 

Dorian knelt beside the bed, waiting for his Master to be finished reading his article about some new potion. He perked up when Severus stood and started to approach him, standing when he saw Him nod approval to begin undressing Him.

"Sir?" he asked hesitantly as he folded the large robe he had removed.

Severus grunted his permission to continue, sitting on the chair near the bed so that Dorian could remove his boots.

Dorian knelt down once more and started unlacing the heavy boots. "I think I need your help Master," he said softly.

This made Severus look up at his pet, startled. It was rare for Dorian to truly ask for anything. His upbringing with the muggles made it difficult for him to ask for help, even from his Master. "What do you need, pet?" he asked, moving his foot to help Dorian remove the boot.

"I…I'm having trouble controlling myself again Sir. I know I should be fine by now but I keep finding myself losing it. Even Gin could feel it. I don't know what to do," he ended in a desperate whisper, his fingers nervously straightening and re-straightening the laces on the boots that he clutched in his arms.

Any trace of the proud Prince that the Death Eaters saw was gone and a scared and insecure young man was left in his place.

Severus bit back a sigh. He had been afraid of that. Dorian was well through the most dangerous time in a part-Incubus' life—the time in which they might go mad and die when they first hit puberty—but he was still at an age where control was difficult at best.

When an Incubus first came into puberty the danger was so great because the hunger would come on with no warning and at completely random intervals. If the Incubus didn't feed immediately he could literally starve to death. Dorian was past that stage but he still struggled to retain control over his abilities.

"Put the boots down. Finish your task," he ordered, providing him with no more advice or orders yet. He knew that he needed to give him simple orders for every single thing for a while in addition to the other assistance he would be giving him. That part of regaining control would last for a few days or weeks. The other part would begin and end tonight and was the true key to getting a hold on his sexual pull back into his grasp again.

Dorian quickly finished his task, stripping his Master bare and pulling the sheets back on the bed before kneeling down again to await his next order.

"Go fetch the third largest paddle," Severus ordered.

Dorian looked apprehensively toward the wardrobe door which was currently hiding the paddles.

"Go fetch the third largest paddle," Severus barked out, startling Dorian into action.

He knew that his pet truly didn't enjoy these punishments the way that some did. Well…the problem was that he _did_ enjoy them but he wasn't allowed to.

Part of him getting back under control again was achieved by Severus stretching him to his utmost limit without allowing him to break down and release his pull until he was granted permission. Since his pet found so much pleasure in the pain they typically used the paddles as a treat. It was rare for him to have to use the paddles for true discipline and not for enjoyment.

Dorian knew what was coming and he dreaded it. He loved the paddlings that his Master gave him but he loathed the strain on his control that these punishments put him under. By the end it felt like he had run a marathon with a raging hard on that hadn't been satisfied in a week. It was terrible for an Incubus—far, far worse than simple sex deprivation. He knew that he needed it though.

One of the major things that Severus had been working on with him since the beginning was learning to recognize his own needs and then verbalize the needs to his Master. He was so unused to having someone to help him when he needed it that it had been very difficult for him to learn but he was finally able to admit when he needed help and ask for it.

He handed the large paddle over to his Master, eyeing it with a mixture of lust and distaste.

Sex Scene—see link below

Dorian couldn't move yet, he simply lay there shaking with the power of his orgasm after denying himself for so long.

Severus smiled fondly at him and scooped him up in his arms and carried him around to the side of the bed to lay him down, grateful that Dorian was a bit smaller than him and much lighter than he was.

He crawled in bed himself, unsurprised to feel Dorian immediately cling to him tightly. He turned to the slight form, running his hands along the slim hips, feeling the slight trembles still wracking his body. "Are you alright pet?"

Dorian nodded against his chest.

"Did I hurt you too much?"

Dorian shook his head but still didn't speak.

"Do you feel better able to control yourself?" he asked, smiling when he felt Dorian's answering nod of affirmation. "Good. Go to sleep," he ordered, holding him close.

BPBPBPBPBPBPBPBPBP

Ginny ran eagerly into the bedroom, tossing herself onto the bed and bouncing a few times before slipping under the covers and curling up beside Dorian.

Severus growled and pulled his pet to him more firmly while Dorian opened one sleepy eye. "What are you doing up at this hour?" he asked blearily.

"It's seven thirty and I'm much too excited to sleep. Come on, get up! Don't you have a Dark army to run or something?"

"Go 'way."

"Come on, Sev. You usually wake up early! Make him get up," she begged, poking his shoulder.

"Ginevra, sister or no you are about three seconds away from getting hexed," Severus said without opening his eyes.

She sighed and simply settled down for a quick nap while she waited for Dorian and Severus to wake up fully. Dorian had told her the truth about his parentage a few months after he told his mate about it. He had confessed his true name to her at the same time and she had started using it when the two were alone together. She was glad that he had stopped pretending to be Harry Potter and had accepted his birth name.

Surprisingly enough, she managed to fall asleep again while she was thinking about her brother. The three were woken once more when Remus knocked on the door.

Dorian sat up a bit, irritably brushing his messy hair out of his face. "What?" he bellowed, just wanting to sleep.

"It's me," Remus replied.

Dorian sighed but opened the door, allowing his godfather entrance before he curled up between Ginny and Severus once more. Unfortunately for him though, his two bedmates were now fully awake and were not about to let him fall back asleep.

"Good morning Ginny!" Remus greeted her cheerfully. "How did you like your new rooms?"

"They're wonderful Remus! It feels so great to be away from them all."

Severus summoned a pair of trousers and slipped them on under the covers.

"I'm sure it does," Remus agreed, sitting on the edge of the bed. He caught sight of the paddle peeking out from under the chair where Severus had tossed it the night before, previously covered up by the nightclothes that it had slipped under when he had thrown it aside. "Rough night?" he asked, amused.

Dorian shrugged, completely unabashed.

Severus nodded discretely, letting Remus know that it was discipline and not solely pleasure the night before.

Remus and he had long since worked out a sort of silent code about these things although they had never spoken of it. Remus knew that Severus would never speak of such things if they were merely for amusement or pleasure, deeming such things too private. When it came to necessary discipline though he allowed Remus to know the bare fact that it was needed. As the godfather of an Incubus he needed to know when his charge was getting out of control, even if he was not the one to bring the boy to heel again.

"I see. Well, today's the day to test the potion, isn't it Cub?"

"Yes. I can't wait. Do you think I'll be able to do it?" he asked eagerly, practically bouncing on the bed.

"I'm sure you'll have at least some of the abilities," Remus said, smiling. "You know that it will be painful, don't you?"

Dorian rolled his eyes. "Master won't let me forget it for a moment. That's why He refused to make it for so long."

Dorian's eyes flashed red and Remus realized that his Lord was on his way so he removed the pile of clothing from both of the seats near the bed in preparation for Voldemort and quickly tucked the paddle out of sight under the dresser. No need to invite questions about his godson's lifestyle.

Voldemort and Lucius entered without knocking: Voldemort not even sparing the threesome in the bed a glance.

Lucius nearly tripped over his own feet at the sight of his best friend and his Prince in bed with the Weasley girl. He had thought Severus to solely be homosexual. He had never heard of Severus ever touching a single woman before.

"Get out of bed you irritating child," Severus snapped at Ginevra, seeing his friend's shock.

Lucius' shock lessened only slightly when Ginny climbed out of bed fully clothed. Almost immediately he found himself blushing deeply as his Prince followed her out of bed stark naked. He hesitated to look at his friend but was relieved to find him wearing some clothing at least.

"Good morning, Tom," Dorian said amiably as he walked over to another chair in the room sitting down comfortably, taking no notice of Lucius' discomfort. "I believe that my potion will be ready in less than an hour."

"Perfect," Voldemort nearly hissed in pleasure. "We need to go on a raid tonight and it would be best if you were in disguise until we are ready to reveal everything."

"A raid?" Dorian asked curiously, wondering what could be important enough to merit the presence of both leaders.

"One of our sources in the Ministry has revealed to me that they intend to destroy the Veil tonight."

Dorian sat up straight instantly, eyes flashing. _They presume to destroy that which stole my Father from me?_ he hissed dangerously.

I believe that is a great part of it. They fear that either you or I will find a way to bring him back. No one wants him back here because he makes Harry Potter more unmanageable from the point of view of both the Ministry and Dumbledore. They plan to destroy it at 1.20 am.

_Why then?_

_That is when there are the least amount of guards working due to shift changes and a general understaffing problem._

_If the Ministry is involved then why the hell do they care if anyone sees them?_ Dorian could sit still no longer and he stood to pace frantically.

They want it kept secret. They fear the public knowing about it because admitting to the need to destroy an ancient artifact like that even though it does not contain any Dark magic essentially admits that they fucked up and they are trying to hide it.

_I will not allow it_ Dorian hissed in a fury. _I'll kill them all if I have to._

Remus walked up behind him to place a dressing gown over his bare body, allowing him at least a modicum of privacy. The Prince turned to him in a blind rage, hissing dangerously. Remus backed off quickly and stood near Severus, clutching the robe sadly. He knew that his godson was upset about the possibility of the Veil being destroyed but he didn't know how to get through to him in this state. It was times like this when he really missed his friend. Sirius had always known how to calm his son.

_You need to calm down_, Voldemort warned. _We are going to stop them, you and I. We will bring along a team of our best soldiers and we can slaughter them all if that is your wish._

_My goddamn wish is to have my Father back_ he nearly shrieked, making the rest of them cringe. Usually emotions aside from anger were difficult if not impossible to discern while someone spoke Parseltongue but they could feel his pain and anguish rolling off of him.

Severus wrapped his arms firmly around his pet and glared at everyone else. "Out," he ordered, then proceeded to ignore them in favor of his pet. Everyone looked between the two for a moment and then quickly walked into the sitting room.

"Ssh…" he whispered to Dorian, stroking his hair gently and pressing the rigid body firmly against his own. "Ssh. You need to calm down, pet. We're going to stop them. They will not destroy it."

Dorian nearly collapsed into his arms, letting his tension go almost immediately. If his Master told him something would be so then it would be. There was simply no other option. If He believed that the Veil would be saved then it would be saved.

Severus lifted Dorian into his arms and moved back toward the bed, once more thankful that he weighed so little comparatively. He was moderately tall and relatively well muscled for his height and weight but he seemed to have gained some sort of weightless quality from his Incubus heredity. Although he weighed a substantial amount but he was never as heavy as one would expect.

"Master?" Dorian asked softly, his head still tucked tightly under Severus' chin.

"Hm?"

"Please stay with me tonight."

"I'm always with you, pet."

"No. I mean at the raid. Please don't leave me."

"I wouldn't leave your side for a second. You know that pet. You are mine to take care of. There is no way I would allow you to go into a potential battle like that without me there to protect you. I'll have your wolf there too, as well as your sister if you would like."

Dorian nodded silently.

"It will be saved. Have no fear," Severus said, running his fingers along Dorian's jaw, all the while wondering _why_ exactly his pet wanted to save the Veil so badly. His Father was already gone; there could be no fixing that. "Do you wish to return to our meeting? It is nearly time to take the potion and we need to do it on time. You would be greatly helped by those skills tonight."

"Yes Sir," Dorian said, reluctantly allowing Severus to pull him from his bed and push him toward the wardrobe.

"Put on some clothes, pet" he ordered gently.

Dorian only balked for a moment before slipping on some black trousers and a dark gray button down that he left open. He looked up for a moment seeking approval and Severus gave him a quick nod. He, like Remus, had long ago given up hope of getting his pet fully clothed unless there was a concrete reason he could give him as to _why_ he needed to dress.

Dorian paused for a moment in front of the door before pushing it open with a burst of wandless magic. "We will take all of the elite with us" he announced immediately.

Voldemort raised a single eyebrow at the unnecessarily large number of extremely talented soldiers but agreed, knowing how terrified his ally was of losing the Veil.

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A/N: I feel the need to warn you once again that there is definite BDSM in this link. It is no where near as hard core as many fics are but it is _definitely_ more so than anything else I have written here. Consider yourself warned once again. If you don't like the unedited version, don't tell me that it squicked you, particularly after all of my warnings.

http/ hp.adultfanfiction .net/ story.php (question) no (equal) 544199354&chapter (equal) 14


	15. The Potion

Chapter 15 

Voldemort, Lucius, Remus and Ginevra walked quickly into the sitting room, each one nervous about whether or not Severus would be able to calm the Prince. Voldemort and Lucius especially knew how bad the consequences could be if someone of that level of power lost control in a fit of rage or anguish.

Remus had an idea of how bad it could be, having seen his godson's reaction to Sirius' death a few years ago. His power had grown exponentially in the past few years though so he was well aware that the terrifying show of strength that he had witnessed when Dorian was a fifth year was nothing compared to what he might unwittingly produce now.

Lucius' mind was whirling as he replayed in his mind the order that Severus had given earlier. It wasn't so much the nature of the order but the sheer fact that he dared to give in while in the presence of his leaders. Well, _leader_ really, since the Prince had demanded his freedom from Voldemort as his gift. He was still shocked by the sheer audacity Severus had shown in that single word. He would never dream of saying such a thing in such a tone while in either of his leader's presence no matter how high he was in their favor.

"Poor Dorian," Ginny whispered. "He's hoped for so long that he would be able to find out something about the Veil someday. He was certain he could pull his Father back from the After if only he knew a bit more about it."

"I will put the assignment to our researchers," Voldemort said. He had a rather large group of Death Eaters whose sole job was to research any given topic at his command. "Had he told me this during our negotiations I could have had them working on this for months."

"He feared that people would mock him for his dream. He knows that it is unlikely that he would ever get his Father back but he can't give up."

"We will see if anything exists on it," Voldemort reassured her. "Even if there isn't, it cannot hurt to have the researchers thinking about it for a few months. They might think of something the rest of us have missed."

Remus looked desolately at the door.

"It's ok, Remus. We'll go and get the Veil and he will be happy again," Ginny comforted, putting her hand in Remus' and clasping it tightly.

He looked down in surprise, having been in his own world earlier and only comprehending her words after a pause. "Could you feel his pain? I had thought…for some reason, I had thought that he was getting better, that he was getting over Siri's death. How could I have been so stupid?"

"He's not even eighteen yet," Voldemort said from across the room as he was sitting in his customary chair. "We tend to forget how very young he really is. Of course he still mourns his Father. He's not yet ready to move on. Although he may be an adult in nearly every other way, he still needs the man, especially given his Incubus heredity."

Remus' face fell.

"Remy, I know you have worked hard to fill in for Sirius and you have done a wonderful job," Ginevra comforted. "Even still, nothing can replace him, and I don't think you really want him to replace Sirius with you. He loves you for yourself, not as some sort of replacement father."

"I suppose you're right. We have to save that Veil. I don't want to even imagine the rage and pain if we were to lose it."

Just then the door swung open violently, banging off of the wall. Dorian spoke almost immediately. "We will take all of the elite with us."

"As you wish," Voldemort replied easily.

"My Prince," Lucius said hesitantly, "do we know how many workers will be present to destroy the Veil?"

Dorian turned to Voldemort in question.

"The report said that it was believed to be eleven Ministry workers and six Order members. They do not believe that Dumbledore will be present," Voldemort supplied.

"May I come with you, Dorian?" Ginny asked hesitantly, eyeing Severus nervously as she directed the question to her brother. She had long ago grown accustomed to asking Severus for permission such as this but after Voldemort's reminder last night she didn't want to say the wrong thing around the wrong people. She wasn't sure if Lucius knew about her brother's relationship yet and she didn't feel it was her place to reveal it.

Dorian looked at her for a moment, thinking. "You may accompany us _if_ you can convince Bella to remove the Ministry watch for underage magic on your wand and _if_ you stay beside Severus and I for the entire time. Take one step away from us and I'm sending you straight home."

She nodded eagerly. "I promise. When can I ask Bella?" Bellatrix was an expert at removing charms without leaving any trace of her actions. Anyone could remove the charm but not just anyone could cover her tracks as well.

"After the Prince takes the potion," Severus said, cutting in gracefully. "The time draws near and we cannot delay too much or else my week of brewing will be wasted. Are you ready, Prince?"

"Yes," Dorian said confidently. Severus silently summoned a black robe and he held it out to his Prince silently. Dorian rolled his eyes but slipped it on nonetheless, although he did not fasten any of the clasps or bother to button his shirt.

"If you will allow me to lead you to my private lab I will administer the potion," Severus said, motioning toward the door.

Dorian nodded his consent and he waited for Voldemort so the two could walk side by side to the lab. Neither ever felt comfortable preceding the other so they had decided to simply walk side by side when possible. Having one walk before the other would imply a rank that did not exist, as the two allies were equal in everything.

Remus, Lucius and Ginevra brought up the rear for the short walk to the lab. Ginevra looked around herself in awe as they walked through the opulent halls of Headquarters.

The Headquarters of the Death Eaters was Slytherin Manor—the estate that had originally been built by Salazar Slytherin himself in an effort to escape the suffocating light magic of the other founders. Rowena Ravenclaw had been the only founder granted entrance. She had well understood the need for both light and Dark and had never fought his use of the Dark arts although she herself rarely used them.

The manor had been placed under charms to remain hidden until someone needed it for the same purposes that Slytherin had. It was revealed for the first time in centuries when a desperate Tom Marvolo Riddle had stumbled upon it many years ago. The manor had served as his primary headquarters ever since.

No one of the light had ever come close to identifying it or rooting out its general location. To find it you had to truly _need_ the Dark sanctuary.

Severus walked over to a counter on the left side that had a small cauldron filled with a thick, bubbling amber colored liquid. He studied it silently for a moment, ensuring that the consistency was perfect and that it was truly ready. Finally, he silently declared it done and took up a gold plated ladle to fill the goblet that stood ready beside the cauldron. "The potion is ready, my Prince," he said quietly, holding the goblet out to Dorian.

Dorian looked at the potion silently for a moment, preparing himself for the pain that he knew would follow.

"It's safe, isn't it?" Ginevra asked. "I mean, no one else has access to these rooms, do they?"

"No, the rooms are quite safe. No one else has the passwords to them beside the Prince and Lord Voldemort and neither of them ever venture into here. The high level of protection allows me to leave potions unattended without fear for contamination when they do not need to be watched."

Ginny nodded and watched Dorian closely, curious as to what exactly the potion would do. Aside from inflict pain, she really wasn't sure how the abilities would manifest themselves.

Dorian lifted the goblet to his lips and, locking eyes with his Master, tipped the thick potion back, swallowing quickly. Before he even set the goblet back down his eyes went wide and he frantically sought his Master's gaze once more, needing the strength to remain standing and to hold back the screams of pain. He knew that without his Master present he would be screaming like a demented creature. His slim fingers crushed the gold goblet with inhuman strength, the pieces falling to the floor after a few brief moments.

"Dorian? Cub? Can I help you?" Remus asked anxiously, trying to assist his silent godson in some way. Dorian turned to him and slowly shook his head in the negative, unable to speak without screaming. Remus stepped forward to rub his back or offer support or at least do _something_ but he found himself held back by Severus.

"Do not touch him until the potion has run it's course," he said, his voice raspy with the pain of watching his sub endure such a thing and being forced to stand by and watch without being able to help at all. "If you touched him now you would only make it worse. With the level of pain he is in he must have full metamorphmagus abilities. The cell structure of his entire body is reweaving itself to support the ability."

"If he already had it Sev then why does his body need to go through the pain?" Ginny snapped, trying valiantly to hold back the tears as she watched her brother's pale and twisted face.

"He had the _potential_ to be an metamorphmagus, meaning that the skill was present in his DNA. It was not a primary trait though and so it had never manifested itself and would never have done so naturally. The only way to pull such traits to the fore is through the use of potions and spells," Severus answered her, trying to distract himself with the conversation.

Dorian gasped softly and every one took a quick step forward, but halted on their own when they remembered that they weren't to touch him. They watched in wonder as his features slowly started to shift for the first time.

The Prince's body slowly grew first shorter and then taller, finally stopping when he was nearly as tall as his Master. He closed his eyes in concentration and brought the rest of his body up to speed, making his skin much paler and his hair a golden blond. His lips thinned out and his chest became more muscled.

When he opened his eyes again they were a deep, chocolate brown. He simply quirked an eyebrow at the group's slack jawed reaction. As always, he managed to look gorgeous. It appeared that regardless of the form that he took that his Incubus heredity was still able to be felt.

"I see you can control it all," Voldemort finally said. "Or can you? Could you become a woman if you wished it?"

Dorian rolled his eyes. "Become one? No. Appear to be one? Of course," he said, shifting first back to his own appearance and then presenting them with a female version of himself.

Lucius barely swallowed his groan as the stunning young woman appeared before him. He found the Prince gorgeous as a man but as a woman he was downright sinful. The Prince appeared to be a bit shorter and had the most delicious curves he had ever seen.

Dorian shifted back to his own appearance, smirking at Lucius. "Enjoy the show, Luc?"

Lucius blushed lightly. "Forgive me, Prince." Damn it. He had forgotten that his Prince could scent arousal.

"What the hell for? I'm an Incubus, Lucius. I was made for sex. Full stop. Every magical creature has his or her special abilities or skills. Mine is sex and sex appeal. If I can't make you pant as a man at least I can do so as a woman," he said with a grin, enjoying Lucius' discomfort.

Lucius blushed darker.

Remus looked hesitantly at his cub. "Can I touch you now?" he asked softly. At Dorian's nod he pulled his godson tightly into his arms. "Your Father would have been so proud," he whispered as he embraced Dorian.

"Ooh Severus, I want to be a metamorphmagus!" Ginevra begged. "Can't I take the potion too?"

"You don't have the gene in your family sister," Dorian reminded her.

"How will I be able to go with you to our shop?"

"Tom spoke earlier of some Dark potions that allow you to shift your appearance for up to a week straight but those worry me. You should never underestimate the ability to just physically change a few things and blend in perfectly. The one thing that everyone recognizes a Weasley for is their hair. Can you honestly say that without your flamingly red hair that people would recognize you?" Dorian asked.

Ginevra bit her lip thoughtfully. "I don't really know. You may be right. Perhaps if I changed that and used those muggle magic eyes you were telling me about it could work."

Dorian rolled his eyes. "They're called contact lenses, Gin. I really think we should consider just shifting a few things on you rather than asking Severus to spend so much time brewing potions for you. He has entirely too much else to be spending his time on rather than wasting it on that."

"You just want him in your bed at night," Ginny teased.

Dorian shrugged his shoulders. It was entirely true. He turned to Lucius. "Take my sister to collect some robes and a mask. Make certain that her hair will be fully covered by the hoods and place the appropriate spells on them for her. Then take her to Bella and have her remove the ministry spells from Ginevra's wand."

Lucius bowed low before taking Ginevra's arm and leading her from the lab.

"Is it strange for you?" Ginny asked once they were outside the lab.

Lucius looked at her from the corner of his eye before looking straight ahead again. "Strange how?"

"You know what I mean, Mr. Malfoy. Is it strange having him as your leader?"

"He is an incredibly powerful wizard. I believe he may be more powerful than my Lord. He deserves his position."

Ginny sighed in irritation at how he kept dancing around the question.

He finally spoke again. "Yes, it is sometimes. Mainly when I realize that he is my son's age. It is rare though that I remember that. I have realized that I never knew Harry Potter. I still don't really know him."

Ginevra nodded. "He seems to like you a lot though."

Lucius sighed in relief. Despite all appearances, he _had _been worried. Draco's mistakes were huge and he was terrified of how it might affect him and his son one day in the future. "Please call me Lucius," he finally said. He well knew how important it was to have this young woman like him. She was far too close to his leader to risk pissing her off or alienating her.

Ginevra smiled happily, pleased to be fitting in with her brother's new life so easily.

Lucius took her to one of the storerooms and gave the guards the password to open the doors for them. He showed Ginevra to a rack of robes that appeared to be around her size and helped her to slip a few on before finding one that fit perfectly.

These robes couldn't be altered with magic because so much magic had already been woven into the fabric itself. The Lord and the Prince had decided during their negotiations to obtain new and better robes that would repel more spells, thereby protecting their soldiers. The cost was well worth it in the leaders' opinions.

The Ministry had decided long ago that they wouldn't "waste" their money like that. Greater fools, them.

He placed the requisite spells on her hood, ensuring that any trace of hair would be covered. Her hair, as much as the Malfoy hair, was instantly recognizable. He had placed similar spells on his and his son's hoods to protect them. The spells would keep the hood in place as well as prevent any stray hair from being seen or worse—dropping to the ground and being left behind as evidence.

They made their way toward the general lounge, a large room that was set aside for the use of the soldiers. Bella sat there, instructing with some of the young soldiers, offering some hints on how to properly hold your wand to perform a cutting curse.

"Bella," Lucius greeted her.

"Lucius!" she said with a smile. Lucius was one of her few friends. She glimpsed Ginevra. "Miss Weasley," she said respectfully but hesitantly, unsure how to properly address the self proclaimed sister of her Prince.

"Call me Ginevra, please," she said, wanting to tell her that she was a Black but knowing better than to do so without Dorian's permission. "I need your help, if you don't mind."

"Leave us," Bella snapped at the young soldiers who were watching avidly. "How may I help you?"

"Dorian told me that you were excellent at removing tracking charms on wands. Can you remove the Ministry spells for me?" she asked, holding her wand out to the Dark witch.

Bella looked at the wand in shock, recognizing the action for what it was. By handing over her wand, and doing it in such a public place, the young witch was proclaiming to the other soldiers that she trusted Bella with her life.

She had made a few mistakes in her career as a Death Eater and as one of the few women Death Eaters she had long since grown used to the general distrust she faced, particularly among the young soldiers. They might come to her for instruction when they needed it but they would never do something like this.

She had to fight long and hard to gain the Death Eater's respect. Especially during the First War, they had looked down on women soldiers as weak or incompetent. She had fought that image ferociously, and ultimately paid for her determination to prove her grit through a few overly violent assaults that had gotten out of hand, particularly that on the Longbottoms. She had never really recovered. She was alternately seen as a vicious killer and as a weak woman. Both images shattered her.

She took the wand from the young witch's hand gingerly. "It would be my pleasure, Ginevra," she said, smiling tremulously.

She studied the wand in silence for a long time. The spells on this wand were particularly complex. It soon became clear that additional spells had been placed on the wand by her Mother and by Dumbledore, no doubt because of her closeness with the Prince. Her eyes lit up at the challenge.

"Perhaps we should withdraw to my rooms, Ginevra. I'll need to concentrate on this."

"Alright. Thanks for helping me out Lucius," she said in clear dismissal of her superior and bodyguard.

He looked hesitantly between the two women but decided to leave Ginevra alone with Bella. He certainly knew that Bella would never harm Ginny but he was surprised that _she_ knew that. "As you wish. Shall I report to the Prince where you are?"

"If you are headed in that direction that would be wonderful. Thanks so much."

The two women walked out of the lounge together chatting lightly about the spells on the wand, starting a furious wave of gossip among the soldiers that were present.


	16. The Prince of Hell

Chapter 16 

The elite paced nervously, each of them wondering why they had been called so late with the war cry. They nervously clutched their silver masks, knowing that they were going into battle. They turned eagerly to the door, pleased to see Severus and Lucius enter, followed by Remus, Ginevra and Draco. They knew that their leaders would follow shortly. The war cry was used for nothing short of all out battle and they knew that neither leader would send them out to a true battle without their help.

"What is going on? What are we raiding?" Cassandra asked anxiously.

Severus stared at the assembled group for a moment before responding. "Our Prince and our Lord have decided to raid the Ministry—more accurately, the Department of Ministries. Our Prince expressed a desire to have all of the elite accompany them as well as his sister Ginevra and his godfather Remus Lupin."

The elite turned in shock to stare at the two non-elite who had been mentioned. They had long since grown accustomed to Draco joining them in their work and weren't terribly surprised to discover that Remus was actually their Prince's godfather, particularly after the way the two acted together. They were all floored by hearing the young Weasley girl referred to as the Prince's sister.

They were not left with any chance to ask questions though as the Prince and Voldemort entered the room, the temperature immediately sinking from their combined anger and fury.

They walked as one to the front of the room and turned to face those assembled.

"Tonight we attack the Ministry of Magic," Voldemort announced without preamble. "The Ministry and the Order have decided to destroy the Veil at precisely 1.20 am. This will not happen. We will enter the Ministry, kill any who oppose us and collect the Veil to bring back for further study."

A quiet murmur filled the room. "What use has the Veil, my Lord?" Avery asked.

Dorian turned to him in a fury, the magic crackling off of his fingers. "Dare you question Our order, soldier?" he asked softly, his voice betraying his fury.

"No my Prince," Avery rushed to assure him. "I did not mean to be impertinent. Forgive me."

Voldemort glared at Avery, his red eyes narrowing in anger. "You walk a fine line soldier. Do not anger your leaders. Neither of us has the patience for you."

Avery nodded eagerly, his pale face bobbing up and down in panic as he tried to placate his leaders. Typically their questions and concerns were welcome. Evidently this was not such a situation. It was only in the most serious of circumstances that they were required to keep their mouths shut. He felt like a fool for not recognizing this as such earlier. He should have known immediately by the sheer fact that every single elite was present.

Dorian turned his eerie green gaze to Bella. "You will protect my sister," he ordered. "She will stay by my mate's side for the duration of the evening. It is your duty to protect her so he does not need to do so."

She nodded her understanding and stepped closer to Ginevra, glad that they had spent the afternoon together. She felt a true affinity for the young witch rather than a simple order to protect her. She smiled softly as she felt Rodolphus step closer to her as well, offering both witches his added protection.

Dorian paced for a few moments, his black robes swirling around him sensuously. The elite fought to keep their eyes off of him, knowing that now was _definitely _not the time to be checking out their leader.

Voldemort continued speaking. "The Veil must be removed by physical means. It is hung as any curtain is hung. You will pair up in groups of four. One will levitate another up to untie any ropes that hold the Veil up that are near them. The other two in the group will provide protection."

Dorian cut in, finally stopping his restless pacing. "All records indicate that the Veil is harmless when it is no longer hung up. Once it has been completely removed it will be safe for you to touch. Ava: your team is in charge of carrying the Veil from the building. Although it is large it is nearly weightless and will collapse into a very small space and should be able to be carried by you alone. Questions?"

"What are we to do with those we come across?" Mancur asked hesitantly.

"Kill them," Dorian said coldly without batting an eye.

"Tonight we make a statement. Tonight we show the world that we will not abide the wholesale destruction of our magical past and our magical relics simply because the Ministry does not understand their purpose and their value. Tonight we defend our very history," Voldemort's voice rang out coldly.

"Tonight we take back what has been stolen from us. Tonight we move to save our past in order to protect our future. The Ministry is determined to destroy all that we come from in order to bring about a new World in which we exist peacefully alongside muggles. We are Wizards and Witches and we have reason to take pride in our heritage. All but Nature herself bow to us. We were not made to live as muggles. The Ministry is destroying our past in an attempt to make us forget ourselves but we will not let them!" Dorian's voice sang triumphantly as the Death Eaters cheered loudly.

"Go and save your culture! Fight for your forefathers, for your children! Fight for yourselves, to protect all that you cherish from the destruction of the Ministry!"

The elite cheered again at Voldemort's words, heartened by the promise that they held within them. By saving the Veil, a seemingly useless artifact, they would be saving a bit of their past, their culture. They would do this as just respect for their ancestors and in promise for their children.

Just before they apparated they saw their Prince's features alter themselves slightly, his scar disappearing completely. He grew an additional three inches and his skin became more olive rather than the golden sheen that they were accustomed to, although the unnatural shimmer remained. He still looked like a Black but he was no longer the exact image of what the world believed to be Harry Potter.

No one dared speak a word about this new power. They pulled on their silver half masks, covering their faces from prying eyes while leaving their faces uncovered from the mouth down to facilitate communication and spell casting.

The elite apparated as one to the Ministry, blending in with the shadows immediately.

They fanned out around the two leaders who stood in their center, their eyes glowing and magic pulsing around them as the two magnificently powerful men gathered their full reserves of strength and draped it around themselves.

A foolish Ministry guard raised the cry, announcing their presence to his fellow guards. His life was ended with a swift cutting curse by one of the masked elite. The curse had nearly ripped his head from his soldiers. Death was immediate.

Dorian didn't bother to differentiate between his soldiers anymore. So long as he could sense his mate and his family near him he didn't particularly care who did what that night.

The group made their way quickly through the nearly deserted halls, small groups splitting off occasionally to pursue Ministry employees they saw or heard, rejoining the phalanx when their jobs were complete. Bodies began to litter the side halls. Not a single elite had been touched.

They approached the doors to the Chamber of Secrets, Voldemort and Dorian moving as one to the correct door, knowing instantly through a sort of sixth sense where they needed to be. The Veil called to them mentally as though it were a sentient being and aware of what was happening. It too craved survival.

The door opened onto a small group of terrified wizards who were trying desperately to destroy the Veil before the Dark army reached it. When they realized that they did not have the time to utter the proper incantations one foolish wizard attempted to light it on fire, hoping to destroy it before the Dark Army was able to take it.

Dorian's tremulous hold on his temper snapped and he let loose his power with a scream, watching dispassionately as it swept over the assembled wizards and pulled the life from their bodies where they stood.

The elite watched in shock and horror. Their Prince had just killed nearly twenty men without even using a spell. They each one sent up silent prayers of thanksgiving to the gods that they had chosen the right side in the war.

Dorian turned his eerie gaze onto the assembled soldiers, his impatience and his barely restrained fury clear.

Voldemort spoke for him, knowing that he was seconds away from inflicting a horrendous punishment on their soldiers for their lack of movement. "Move. More guards are coming. The floos have been activated."

The elite didn't bother to question how he knew this, they simply moved up to the Veil quickly, each group sending a member up with heart stopping speed to begin to untie the Veil. It fell quickly to the ground as the soldiers frantically undid the tight knots, cursing the fact that they could not use magic to loosen the ancient ropes.

The Veil fell fully to the ground with a soft ripple of a sigh as the last rope was untied. Ava quickly reassembled her team to gather the now harmless material. She held it protectively in her arms and took up a station behind her Lord and Prince, knowing that no one less than the leaders themselves would be protecting this remarkable relic.

Just as she got into place and the group was ready to make their way from the room they were alerted to the presence of a small army of guards and Aurors.

Severus took a protective step closer to his pet, fully knowing that he could do little to actually protect the powerful young man but feeling better anyhow knowing that he was close by. Whether Dorian needed it or not, he would do everything in his power to protect him.

He turned slightly when he felt Ginevra press in closer to him, obviously scared. He glanced behind the girl and spotted Bella standing so close to Ginny that they were touching along the entire length of their bodies. He nodded his approval to Bella and patted Ginevra's hand lightly, the only comfort he would offer her. Everyone's first true raid got to them in one way or another. He knew that Ginevra was in no danger of switching sides or panicking after the brutality she had seen. Even in her terror she was practically throbbing with energy and pride. The girl was made for the Dark arts.

The Prince and Lord Voldemort reached out their bare hands toward the guards, sending spells quickly and ruthlessly. The elite quickly joined in, using their wands to direct spells at the best of the guards, taking them out as quickly as possible.

One faceless elite dropped, clutching his chest tightly in an attempt to still the slow of blood from a nasty curse that had literally torn the skin from his body. The elite simply stepped around him, offering him the protection of their bodies but not offering to heal him.

Voldemort and Dorian hissed in fury as they realized that one of their own was injured. They moved toward the front of the group, the elite parting before them immediately.

The guards all paled immediately upon seeing whom they faced. "It's him!" one said in a bare whisper, his words reaching over the entire hall. "It's You Know Who!"

"Sweet gods," a young man who was barely nineteen said in terror, dropping to his knees. "He's got the Prince of Hell himself at his side," he said, remembering well the old books his Mother used to read to him before bedtime, stories about the Prince of Hell who would slaughter the just and good and bring about a reign of terror unparalleled to anything the world had ever known.

Dorian smirked evilly at him, his white teeth flashing. The eerie smile remained on his face as he and Voldemort slaughtered the remaining guards ruthlessly, delighting in the screams of terror and the pools of blood that spread further and further throughout the enormous room.

Bodies dropped to the floor covered in boils, bones melted, sculls caved in, throats slashed, intestines were pulled out, hearts crushed. The mutilated corpses could no longer be identified as the bodies were twisted and destroyed beyond recognition.

The guards were no longer able to identify what spells were being used. The two Dark Lords' repertoire was greater than anything they had ever heard of, much less studied in their Auror school or examinations to take simple guard positions at the Ministry for those who had never qualified to enter Auror schooling.

It was as though they were lambs lined up for slaughter, the Ministry conveniently providing the slaughterhouse and weapons for the Dark Lords. Although the Ministry guards should have had the advantage of being near the single door it instead worked against them as many of them turned their backs to the Dark Lords in an attempt to run away.

Finally, only the young guard who had given him the title of the Prince of Hell was left. He hadn't found the will to move since he had recognized the new leader for what he really was.

"Thank you for my wonderful introduction," Dorian said with a terrifying kindness, making the guard shudder. "It was sweet of you, really, to do so for me. Here I was all worried about my coming out party. You must do these things properly, you know. Wouldn't want people to get the wrong idea." He patted the shaking guard on the cheek leaving behind a splatter of blood.

The guard promptly wet himself.

Voldemort's nose wrinkled at the sight. "Pathetic," he muttered.

Any trace of Dorian's earlier kindness was wiped from his face. "I am the Black Prince and I have begun my reign. No more will we tolerate the Ministry destroying our past in an effort to cover their misdeeds. The Dark Lord and I will stand firm as we defend that which made us what we are."

"You will deliver this message to the world or you will regret walking out of here with your life," Voldemort said, his red eyes boring into the young man, reading his intentions. He smirked when he realized that the boy was terrified and had absolutely no intention of editing the story at all. Good. Now they would get the word out about his alliance with a Black as well as their creed to defend their culture and way of life.

"Well, I believe we're done here," Dorian announced cheerfully, kicking a disembodied head aside and chuckling as it bounced off the wall with a solid thunk.

"I do believe we are," Voldemort agreed amiably. "Soldier—do you still carry our artifact?"

"Yes my Lord," Ava answered proudly. She had ignored a large part of the battle in favor of protecting the Veil with her body, shielding it from the blood as well as she could. It appeared to her that she had succeeded.

Dorian turned to Severus and grabbed him tightly, pulling him down for a brutal kiss, biting his lip savagely. He licked at the trickle of blood that escaped, humming in delight at its warm deliciousness.

He reluctantly released Severus and started out of the hall with Voldemort at his side. "Nothing quite like a good battle," he remarked cheerfully.

The guard knelt in a terrified silence while the elite filed out quickly.


	17. The Prophet Reports

A/N: Tried to come up with a good excuse for my delay in posting but I really couldn't find one, apart from my general business and lack of time to write in. Thanks for sticking with me. Your reviews are what encouraged me to come back to the fic and make more time for writing. 

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Chapter 17 Prince of Hell Joins League With He Who Must Not Be Named

_A single guard was all that was left of the massive force that went to the Ministry late last night to defend an artifact that was being destroyed by Ministry employees. In an exclusive interview, the Daily Prophet was able to learn more about what really happened in the Department of Mysteries._

"_It was like nothing I have ever seen before," the young man who wishes to go unnamed explained. "You Know Who has a new ally and I swear if it were possible, this new man is even more terrifying than the Dark Lord. They fought off a force of fifty men without their wands. The new Dark Lord has come from Hell itself._

"_You Know Who was more terrifying than I expected, all the more so because he looked almost…normal. He looked like a middle aged, affluent man. He could blend in with any crowd if he wanted to, killing without warning. He could be anywhere. He could be the shopper next to you at the grocers. He could be waiting behind you at Gringott's. You have no idea what we are up against."_

_After taking a few moments to calm himself, our witness elaborated on the evening's events._

"_I've never seen anything like it. They killed the other guards with such ease and with absolutely no remorse. The new Dark Lord is even worse than You Know Who. I swear it—the Prince of Hell was _smiling _as he killed them." _

_When asked why You Know Who and his new ally attacked last night the guard hurried to explain:_

"_They said that they were coming to defend our history. They stole an artifact from the Department that had been scheduled to be destroyed that night. I believe that the only reason they attacked was because they wanted to protect the artifact. If the Ministry hadn't decided to destroy it then all of the other guards might still be alive."_

_When questioned about the mysterious man's identity the young man offered only a vague description. All that we can ascertain is that the new Dark Lord in question has deeply tan or olive skin, black or brown hair, and eyes the color of the Killing Curse. _

_He calls himself the Black Prince, leading many of us at the Prophet to question whether he could be a bastard son of Sirius Black, convicted murderer of James and Lily Potter, beloved parents of Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. In addition to the betrayal that led to these senseless deaths, Black was also responsible for the murder of Peter Pettigrew and a number of innocent muggles._

_Can it be that this new leader is a Black?_

_-_

Dorian set the paper aside, laughing lightly. The guard had done an excellent job really. He had hoped that his little conversation with the young man would encourage him to make it clear that they were attacking in defense of an artifact but he wasn't entirely certain the boy would do so. He had, after all, watched them slaughter all of his coworkers.

He turned his thoughts to Voldemort; seeking him out and finding him still in bed although awake as well and alone. As much as Voldemort chided him for not taking more Death Eaters to his bed he hardly did so himself, only rarely bringing someone to bed. "Did you have something to do with this?" he asked mentally, his amusement shining through.

"Perhaps," Voldemort responded mentally. "I might have placed a small compulsion on him to elaborate on that bit about the artifact. I figured we would need a bit of good press to offset the rest of it."

"My dear Tom, no amount of good press will undo the fact that we killed over 60 Ministry employees and Order members last night," Dorian responded lightly, glad that Severus was still asleep for this conversation. He knew that his Master found it creepy when his eyes changed colors like this when he spoke mentally with Voldemort but he found himself missing their old conversations. He had become quite close with his ally over the months of their negotiations. "So much for our new era of Death Eaters."

"Well, it might not undo the bad press but perhaps it is a beginning, an idea growing in people's minds. They now know that we were not attacking for the sheer love of murder but in defense of precious artifacts. They will recall it, when the time comes. Not to mention it was all for a good cause. We didn't attack without reason."

"Perhaps you are right. It was a lovely battle, wasn't it?" Dorian said with a sigh.

"I haven't experienced one that good in nearly twenty years," Voldemort answered. "Is Severus still sleeping?"

"I wore him out last night," Dorian said sheepishly.

Voldemort's laughter rang through loudly.

Severus started to stir and Dorian quickly ended the conversation, curling up beside his lover once more. "Good morning Master," he said softly.

Severus peeked a single eye open. "Sweet Merlin pet, is it already time to be up?" he shifted slowly, aching from head to toe after the vigorous lovemaking of the night before. Dorian had been far more aggressive than usual, scratching and biting his body indiscriminately. Although such behavior was usually forbidden for his sub Severus had loved it after the invigorating battle.

Dorian shrugged, not bothering to disguise his arousal. Even after two rounds of sex the night before he found himself still ready for more. He knew he could hold back if he needed to, the effects of his punishment still fresh on his mind, but he still wanted it, desperately. 

He rubbed gently against his Master, purring lightly as he touched the deliciously pale skin.

"You have got to be kidding me," Severus muttered, his hands sliding to Dorian's hips holding him still for a moment.

Dorian whined softly, deep in his throat.

Severus gave in and pulled the delectable arse back against him again, barely stifling a moan as he brushed against his morning erection.

Sex scene—see link below

Dorian lay bonelessly on the bed, shaking lightly every few moments from the power of his orgasm. It was incredibly rare that his Master would pleasure him like that, much less allow him to watch. He turned lazily to Severus and curled up against him once more. "Thank you Sir," he murmured quietly into the broad chest.

Severus merely stroked Dorian's back in silence for a moment. "We need to rise, pet," he finally said softly, although the order was evident.

Dorian quickly got out of bed and grabbed his Master's dressing gown to help put on. He gasped when he fully saw the state that his Master was in.

Severus' body was littered in scratches and bites. He had a particularly violent looking bite high on his throat—the individual teeth marks were still clear. Deep gouges ran down his back as Dorian had scratched him hard enough to draw blood when he had finally been allowed to orgasm the night before. "Sir…"

Severus stepped into the dressing gown and tied it around his waist himself when it became evident that his sub was incapable of doing it for him as he typically did. "It is of little concern, pet."

"But Sir…" Dorian whispered desperately.

"I allowed it last night, pet. If I had objected you would have been aware of it. Do not expect me to allow it again."

Dorian nodded slowly, still visibly upset. He glanced down at his own perfectly clear body. He always healed with remarkable speed; partially due to his time with the Dursleys and partially due to his heredity. He knew for a fact that he had looked far worse than his Master did now last night before he went to sleep but now he looked perfect again.

Severus sighed and pulled Dorian into his lap. "Last night was different, pet. I enjoyed it. I occasionally enjoy pain mixed with pleasure as well. I have just never before allowed you to inflict any pain on me as it was not your place."

Dorian nodded his understanding. "Yes Sir."

"I doubt we will indulge in that again anytime soon but it was pleasurable last night."

Dorian nodded again, feeling better now that he knew that his Master had enjoyed it and was not angry with him.

The two dressed quickly and left their private rooms, Dorian making his way to the private research rooms where the Veil had been stored the night before. He knew that some of their most trusted soldiers were already studying it closely, trying to discover its secrets.

Severus decided to go to the Soldiers Commons and visit with the other Death Eaters. He hadn't been there much lately and he missed his friends. One of the most important parts about being a Death Eater was the feeling of joining a large family or fraternity. Most of the soldiers were quite close to each other and special bonds and friendships were formed during their free time and strengthened when they went out to battle.

People openly stared at him as he walked through the lounge, undoubtedly taking in the dark bite marks and the hint of a love bruise on the other side of his neck. He hadn't bothered to cover them, knowing that everyone knew he was in a sexual relationship of some sort with the Prince. After being kissed so openly last night there was no point in hiding anything.

Their fascination with the relationship between Severus and the Prince was at an all time high as a few of the elite had told the others of the kiss they had witnessed the night before. Although everyone knew that the two were together that was the first time that anyone had actually witnessed them first hand together in a sexual way.

He sat down near Lucius, Rodolphus and Bella. Bella immediately put up a silencing charm.

"I'm rather surprised you can walk," Lucius remarked with amusement. "Our Prince seemed rather affectionate last night."

Bella giggled softly.

Severus rolled his eyes.

"Dare I ask how many times it was last night?" Lucius asked his old friend, smirking. The four of them had long been close and kept few secrets from each other.

Severus smirked back. "Three times."

"Is sex with an incubus better than sex with a human?" Bella asked eagerly.

"His body was literally made for sex. What do you think?" Severus replied dryly.

"I am rather surprised that you accepted him so quickly," Rodolphus said hesitantly. "I don't believe I've ever seen you in a relationship like this. Don't you miss your boys?" he asked, knowing well his friend's preferences when it came to partners. He had never known his friend to have a vanilla relationship or to take a submissive role but there was no other explanation for his relationship with the Prince.

Severus shrugged. "I have an Incubus in my bed. What's to miss?" he said vaguely.

Neither he nor Dorian was ashamed in any way of their relationship but he had decided that it was better to keep it a secret from as many people as possible for a while yet, with everything among the Death Eaters still in flux from the arrival of Harry Potter as their new Dark Lord. As usual, Dorian had acquiesced to Severus' decision without any argument or objection.

Lucius decided to change the subject, quite aware that his friend would not answer any more questions on the topic. He could be incredibly close mouthed when he did not feel like answering questions and it was clear that he no longer wanted to answer questions about his relationship. "Was the Prince pleased with the article this morning?"

Severus turned to him, the question clear on his face.

Lucius simply handed the paper to his friend, allowing him to read it for himself.

Severus finished it and snorted, setting it aside. "Well, that would certainly explain his affection this morning."

"Do you think we will be able to save his Father?" Bella asked hesitantly, her fear obvious.

Severus thought for a moment. "Normally, I would say that it was impossible. With both the Prince and the Dark Lord combining their powers and their desire though, I'm not quite sure. There is little that can stand in their way. They might well be able to achieve the impossible."

"If anyone can do it they can," Lucius said, patting her hand softly. "The Prince wants his Father back and he will probably work the research soldiers tirelessly to try to find a way."

"Tell us about his sister," Rodolphus said, seeking a distraction. His wife had been distraught ever since the death of her cousin at her hand, accident or not. He didn't want her to dwell on the possibilities and the what-if's.

"Dorian loves her dearly and has declared that she is a Black," Severus said, garnering gasps from the three purebloods that sat with him.

Making such a declaration was perhaps one of the biggest political moves a pureblood could ever make. Such an action declared complete contempt for the original bloodline of the person in question by declaring it null and replacing it with another. They all felt that the Weasley bloodline was unworthy of the pureblood name but none of them would have dared to officially declare it so.

"She's a Black?" Bella repeated. "No wonder she wouldn't allow me to call her Miss Weasley. She approves, I assume?"

"Whole-heartedly. She was eager to throw off the name of Weasley. She recognizes that they are a disgrace to the name. The Prince's godfather has accepted her as well and she now considers him to be her godfather."

The looks of shock grew at this. The honor of being chosen as a godfather was a carefully planned move on the parent's part because the godparent had immense duties to their godchild as well as power over them in many ways as their spiritual and magical guide.

Becoming a godparent created a sort of unspoken but amazingly powerful bond. Failure as a godparent in any form would be seen as a strike against the bond and could even strip a godparent of his or her magical abilities.

Many men and women who were asked to be godparents refused simply because they were not up to the duties. Being a proper godparent was often more of a responsibility than being a blood parent and most definitely was in the situation that Remus found himself with both Dorian and Ginevra. He needed to protect and guide two people who were in extremely dangerous positions in the war from every imaginable danger or pitfall. It was enough to terrify even the bravest of men and women.

Ginevra's request and Remus' subsequent approval was tantamount to erasing her own parents and declaring Remus to be her spiritual guide, her touchstone for important cultural decisions and her de facto parent. She had declared her parents so completely unfit that she erased their very existence by placing Remus over them simply by announcing that she accepted him as her godfather.

"When did she decide to join the Dark forces?" Rodolphus asked.

"It was more a decision to follow her brother wherever he went, although she has long approved of the Dark Lord's work. I am uncertain if she ever would have sought him out on her own though, without the Prince. She probably would have simply been one of the many silent supporters rather than a true soldier were it not for Dorian's role."

"She seemed quite comfortable with you, Sev," Lucius said, thinking back over their day together. "Has she known about your relationship?"

"Of course. There is no way that Dorian would keep such a secret from his sister. The girl is all but a sister to myself now."

"And is Lupin your father-in-law now?" Rodolphus asked, laughing.

Severus glared at him. "Hardly. He's actually quite bearable though. His care for Dorian is admirable and he manages to not annoy me much."

"Times have certainly changed since the Prince joined our Lord," Bella said. "For the first time in a long time I feel that we are moving in the right direction."

"I am pleased to be done with the mindless violence," Severus said. "That never sat well with me. There always seemed to be more effective ways."

"Look at the violence last night though!" Rodolphus pointed out. He was not in any way upset over the violence from the previous night, he was merely concerned that it would hurt them in some way in the future.

"All with a point," Severus countered evenly. "Not only a point that we could see but one that was made clear to the wizarding world. No, if Dorian has his way the entire world will be eating from their hands by the end of this. The world will worship them as the bastions of culture and history and preservation rather than condemning them as Dark murderers. Mark my words: once Dorian is through with his plans the world will understand our true goals and they will support us completely."

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http/ hp.adultfanfiction .net/ story.php (question) no (equal) 544199354&chapter (equal) 17


	18. Donning the Disguises

A/N: Inexcusable delay, I know. I'm a bit stuck on this one right now and have been focusing on trying to finish Skin Deep so I won't have _three_ unfinished stories going at once. 

Enjoy!

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Chapter 18 

"Hold still," Dorian ordered, dunking Ginevra's head under the water again, barely allowing her time to draw in a deep breath. He roughly ran his fingers through her hair, not stopping at the snarls before pulling her head up again and twisting her hair violently to squeeze the water out.

"Ow! What the fuck are you doing?" she yelped, trying to rescue her long hair from his hands.

"I'm helping you Gin. Shut up, I know what I'm doing."

She grumbled irritably but sat still on the floor, shifting slightly when he moved to sit behind her, pulling her in between his spread legs. "Hold still," he ordered again before summoning a comb and setting to work on her long hair.

Lucius and Severus peeked in the bathroom upon hearing the commotion all the way in the sitting room.

Lucius was floored to see his Prince sitting on the soaking wet tile and combing his sister's now-blond locks.

"A lovely color on you, Ginevra," Severus said, allowing Lucius to recover his composure.

"This one," Ginevra said, pointing violently toward her brother, "practically ripped my hair out. It better be worth it," she said, wincing as he hit a particularly stubborn knot.

"Settle down," Dorian ordered, pulling his comb free at last. "I don't know why you're complaining so much. This is how I do my hair."

"And that's why it always looks like a rat's nest," she snapped back. "Give me that, Ian." She snatched the comb from his hand and set to work on her messy hair herself, eyeing the platinum color warily. "Did you have to go so white? That doesn't look at all natural. It's even more bleached out than Lucius' hair!"

"That was the point," Dorian grumbled, stripping out of his wet trousers and dropping them on the ground. Severus immediately handed him a dry pair which he pulled on with a sigh. "We are going undercover as Americans. Its part of your cover up."

Ginevra was in fits over her knotty hair and gave up trying to comb it out.

Severus sat down on one of the benches in the enormous bathroom and snapped his fingers at her, pointing at the floor by his feet. She moved closer to him, handing over the comb without a fuss. She knew that neither she nor Dorian had the patience to deal with her hair after the mess Dorian had made of it. He had insisted that muggle dyes needed to be done like that though and since she had never used anything muggle before, she had just let him do everything.

Lucius still stood in the doorway, blushing lightly as he took in the entire thing.

"Pull your shirt back on," Dorian ordered, tossing her his button down shirt, not wanting to wear it himself.

She pulled it on, quickly buttoning it up over her lacy bra. "Sorry, Luc," she muttered, her cheeks flaming. She never thought about it when she was near her "boys" as she called them but she should have remembered that not only was Lucius present but he was also very straight.

Lucius simply nodded his head but didn't respond.

"I still don't understand what being American has to do with bleached blond hair," she grumped, although Severus was doing a wonderful job de-tangling her hair.

"Nothing, really. I just wanted to have blond tips and I thought we'd look better together this way," Dorian said absently, picking up a nail file as he studied his hands.

"What?" she screeched. "You made me undergo that horrible muggle treatment just to make me match you better?"

Dorian didn't even look up from his nails. "Calm down, sis. You couldn't have red hair so did it really matter what color I picked? Besides, it'll be more believable that we are siblings and best friends if we look similar and have the same taste in clothes and everything. I mean, if we were total opposites then you probably wouldn't have wanted to come all the way from New York with me to open our shop."

"Why New York?" Ginevra asked petulantly.

"Why not New York? We needed a city that had a magical population that was big enough that it was conceivable that no one from the city would be able to expose us because they had never seen us before. That limited our choice of American cities to less than 5 in my opinion. New York seemed the best choice since I didn't feel like dealing with a Southern accent and know next to nothing about the rest of America. Not to mention that New York is far enough away that we could conceivably declare ourselves neutral in the current political issues in Britain without raising any eyebrows."

Ginevra grumbled quietly but stopped fighting about that aspect of it. He _was_ right. New York had the largest population of wizards in North America and it would be the easiest to fake a history from there. No one would ever be able to disprove it.

"You really do look lovely as a blond," Severus said, setting the comb aside and picking up a towel to dry her hair some more. "And no one would ever think that you were a Weasley. With some muggle contact lenses you should be perfectly safe."

Dorian looked up from filing his nails. "With a complete wardrobe change she will be unrecognizable. We're going shopping once your hair is dry."

"What about your hair?" she asked, wanting him to have to go through the muggle dyeing process as well.

He raised a single eyebrow at her and his hair immediately shortened to wild, messy bed hair that was a bit lighter than his natural dark brown and had bleached blond streaks running through it. After a brief moment he had a bit of scruff as well, surprising his lover and sister as he had never had to shave before. His messy bed hair, and his state of undress made him look like he had just been thoroughly shagged. She rolled her eyes at him.

"You look like a hoodlum," Severus said grumpily, missing the messy curls and smooth skin.

"Good. That's rather the point of our disguises," Dorian answered, standing and checking himself out in the mirror.

"Why do you wish to look like some sort of ruffian?" Lucius asked, genuinely confused.

Dorian sighed. "We are trying to hide in broad daylight within half a mile of Hogwarts and Dumbledore. Our disguises must be perfect down to the last detail. Harry Potter doesn't need to shave. Ginevra Weasley would never consent to having her hair bleached out. It's not so much that we cannot have _anything_ that we would normally like or do but we must be extremely careful and limit anything that could link us to them. Hopefully with a different look and an accent charm we can trick people."

"So what type of clothes do you intend to buy?" Ginevra asked, curious as to what she herself would end up picking out.

Dorian turned to her with a smirk.

Ginevra interrupted him before he could respond. "And it better be something decent. You can't run around half naked."

Dorian waved his hand and transfigured his black trousers into indecently tight and ripped jeans that rode dangerously low on his hips and he conjured a skin tight worn black T-shirt.

"You're a fucking horny bastard," Ginevra said, throwing the towel Severus had been using at Dorian and hitting him in the face. She still hadn't grown accustomed to the muggle clothing that Dorian wore occasionally. He didn't have much right now largely because Voldemort had purchased all of his clothes and he hadn't had much in the past because he had to wear Dudley's cast-offs.

"Fine. You can pick out your own clothes. I intend to dress as I wish. It's that or else no clothes at all. You pick."

"Fine…buy whatever clothes you are willing to keep on your body just let me chose my own," Ginevra said, amused at the thought of her brother traipsing around Hogsmeade in the buff.

"You never told us what type of shop you are opening, Prince," Lucius said, watching his leader interact with his sister with amusement. He was pleased that Ginevra had come to Headquarters. She allowed the Prince to relax much more and she tended to help divert his energies into safer (and less painful) directions.

"Something along the lines of what Bella suggested although we will also serve coffee and tea food. It will be like a curiosity shop. I figured that would have the most universal pull and be the easiest to run."

"So what is our story?" Ginevra asked as the group left the bathroom and returned to the bedroom.

"Our parents died when I was sixteen and you were thirteen—that's five years ago, just so you know. Anyhow, no one particularly wanted to take us in so we moved out of our parents' apartment and into a smaller one across town. We worked waiting tables to make the rent and we studied our books in the morning before our shifts—"

"Aren't we studious!" Ginevra commented, smiling.

"Hmph. Well, you're going to continue to be studious next year, sis so buck up. It'll be just like old times as far as they are concerned." He pulled his transfigured pants and shirt off and turned to his wardrobe. "At any rate, last year we decided we wanted to leave America so we started saving our money. We finally saved enough and moved out here to set up a shop of our own."

"What are our names?"

"I'll still be Dorian or Ian—you call me that enough already. Since no one knows my birth name it is safe to keep using it. What about you?"

"I don't know," Ginevra said thoughtfully.

"I had thought about Lorelai for you," Dorian said.

"Not a very subtle warning, is it brother?"

He smiled at her shamelessly and shrugged. "What? Guys need to know to leave you the hell alone. You're off limits."

"I can date whom I want," she said tartly.

"If you want to think so," he said, his smile never leaving. He opened the wardrobe and started rooting around for some clothes. "Really though, Gin, you cannot chance dating anyone from Hogwarts. If you said or did the wrong thing they would expose you in a second."

Lucius' eyes nearly popped out of his head as he caught sight of the veritable sex-toy store that the wardrobe door had been concealing. He looked between the array of paddles, canes and light whips and his oldest friend, his jaw dropping.

Severus rolled his eyes and stepped over to the wardrobe, making short work out of picking out clothing for his sub. Dorian looked over the choices and then nodded his thanks before pulling the leather pants and tight red shirt on.

Lucius was still staring at them in shock, trying to process how his friend had changed his sexual preferences so easily to switch from being Master to submissive. He simply couldn't comprehend it but the evidence was clear to him that his friend was not only in a relationship with a Dom but was enjoying it.

The toys were in his Prince's wardrobe. Obviously, he was the one to wield them. Not to mention it was ludicrous to imagine _his Prince_ of all people as a _submissive_.

Ginevra punched his shoulder, hard, and then smiled sweetly when he finally turned to her. He found himself grateful for her intervention though and he pulled himself back together.

Dorian stood still as Severus straightened out his clothing for him. He loathed clothing and was generally hopeless at dressing himself decently. He found it just as constricting and infuriating whether it was put on correctly or not.

Lucius watched in silence, nearly jumping when Dorian suddenly turned to him.

"Well?" Dorian asked Lucius expectantly.

"Sir?" Lucius had no idea what he was talking about.

"My sister and I are going to go shopping. That means your son needs to be here. Where is he?" he snapped impatiently.

Lucius swallowed quickly, trying to remain calm. "I apologize, Prince. I must have forgotten your order."

"I didn't give it," Dorian said slowly but firmly, as if that made perfect sense.

Ginevra stepped in, knowing that her brother's impatience was about to shine through on the unwitting man. "Perhaps Draco would enjoy accompanying us on our trip. He could begin his charade of befriending the Americans, making it easier for people to believe why he would work in our shop."

Lucius nodded his understanding. "Forgive me, my Prince. I will go call him."

On his way out the door he heard his friend softly chide his Prince for his harsh words and shook his head in confusion.

After the door was firmly shut Severus started talking again.

"Pet, you really must learn to reign in your temper. It was hardly his fault that he had no idea what you were talking about since you never told him in the first place."

Dorian sighed heavily. "I'm sorry Sir. I do try, really I do. I just…" he shrugged his shoulders helplessly.

Severus nodded his understanding. Dorian had become much more irritable since his Father had died. Incubi were social creatures and he needed the influence of another Incubus. Unfortunately for him, he was the only known Incubus living in the world. He had little hope for a miraculous return of Black and so he and Remus simply tried to fill in as best they could.

Black Sr. had managed to live with his sanity more or less intact without another incubus to associate with until his mid thirties—and he didn't have a mate to soothe him. Severus now simply hoped that Dorian could keep it together for another fifteen years. By that point, the war should be over and it would be safe for him to give his pet a child. He didn't dare allow his pet to become pregnant until his position was secure and he could be guaranteed of a safe delivery.

"I understand, pet. You do need to be more careful though. Lucius saw your toys and was shocked."

"Well let him bloody well find out! I'm fucking sick of trying to step around this!"

Severus stared at him for a brief moment, trying to take in what he had heard. "You don't mind Lucius knowing?" he finally said slowly.

"Are you so ashamed of me that you need to hide me away?" Dorian asked, his voice breaking at the thought of it.

"Of course not, Dorian, you're being a Gryffindor. I didn't think you would want your soldiers knowing about it, that's all."

"Why not?" Dorian asked petulantly, running his fingers through his newly shorter hair and throwing himself on the bed in a huff.

Severus turned to Ginevra for help.

"Well…we rather thought you might want to keep it private. Not all of them would understand or respect your decision," Ginevra said gently.

"Luc would. He's Sev's brother."

Severus smacked Dorian on the arse for the lack of respect in his address but he thought about it. Why _couldn't _Lucius know? Perhaps it would be imprudent to tell the other soldiers, and it certainly would be foolish to tell Draco at the moment, but he could tell his closest friends.

He sat down on the bed beside his pet in silence for a few more moments before tugging roughly on his hair to get Dorian to turn to him.

Dorian rolled over without pause, his eyes a strange mixture of vulnerability and anger at the perceived slight.

"We can tell whomever you wish, pet. I just wanted to allow you some privacy, if you wished it."

Dorian nodded and scootched in closer, resting his head on his Master's knee.

"You need to get your emotions under control better, pet. You know me well enough by now to know why I do or do not do things. It is not your place to question me."

"I am sorry, Sir. I do try, I just…I miss him."

"I know."

Dorian nuzzled more deeply into his Master's lap, rubbing his cheek gently against his rapidly hardening cock. A rumbling purr slipped out.

"Leave us, Ginevra," Severus ordered.

Ginny didn't argue at all, she simply nodded and stepped into the sitting room to wait for them to be done. She knew that the current situation was trying on her brother and his lover. Dorian needed to reassert their positions again and again when in private to remain comfortable. The strain was showing.

"May I, Sir?" Dorian asked softly.

"Yes pet."

Dorian quickly knelt up and reached around to unbutton Severus' pants and slip his cock out. He moaned softly as he licked a drop of precum from the tip.

"Silence, pet," Severus ordered.

Dorian quickly acquiesced and licked the cock from base to tip before starting properly.

Severus gasped and tightened his hold on Dorian's head, feeling momentary irritation at the newly changed hair. He loathed this disguise.

He simply pushed himself further into the hot mouth to end those fruitless thoughts.

Dorian stilled and allowed his Master to fuck his mouth with abandon, nearly slipping down his throat before pulling back once more. He swallowed quickly, trying not to gag.

"That's it, pet."

Dorian preened at the compliment and set to with renewed vigour.

Severus nearly leapt from his seat, his balls tightened so fast. Unable to slow down anymore, he gripped Dorian's hair and pushed in as far as he dared, a sharp breath the only audible sign of his completion.

Dorian licked his lips happily and gave his Master's cock one last quick lick before settling back down.

Severus reached over to attend to his sub but he saw that Dorian had already come, evidently without even touching himself. "Teenagers," he muttered, smiling. He loved it that Dorian found his submission so erotic.

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"May I ask you to meet up with us at some point in Diagon Alley?"

Severus thought about the request for a moment. "That would be acceptable, so long as I was not recognizable."

Dorian nodded his understanding and was quiet once more, patiently waiting for his soldiers to return.

Severus spelled the connecting door to the sitting room back open. After a few moments Ginevra stepped through and settled down in the bedside chair.

Lucius knocked on the door again and the two men stood up. Dorian got off the bed and opened the door with a quick wandless charm. "Let's go, shall we?" he said, turning to Ginevra.

"Do you wish for any other soldiers to accompany you, Prince?" Severus asked.

Dorian turned and looked at the other men for a moment before turning back to his Master. "No. You will meet us for lunch. Draco, tell them where we are lunching."

"Um…um…" Draco frantically ran through the top restaurants in his head trying to pick one that would please his leader. "Argosto's," he finally announced.

"You will be there at one" Dorian announced, giving Severus a firm look that made it clear he would brook no debate on this point.

"Of course, Dorian," Severus said with a small bow. Lucius followed suit.

"Deal with your appearance. Take polyjuice or use a glamour. Deal with it."

"Of course," Severus replied, knowing that he could not be seen as a confidant—much less a date—of the new American. If Dumbledore found out then he would try to force Severus to spy on the American as well as the Dark Lord.

"My Prince, how old are you and your sister supposed to be again?" Draco asked nervously.

"Dorian and Lorelai," Dorian snapped, then closed his eyes. He really needed to try harder to be, well…not _nice_ but at least genial. "I did not intend to be so harsh, Dragon."

"Quite understandable, Pr—Dorian. I will endeavor to remember your new name."

"See that you do." He paused for a moment as he stared at his hands before pulling on a few simple rings from the open jewelry case on his dresser. "We are twenty one and eighteen. You will attend lunch as well, Luci."

Lucius managed to hide his wince at the butchered name and nodded quickly. "As you wish, Dorian."

"Well?" Dorian said sharply, glaring at Draco.

"I'm ready when you are" Ginny said cheerfully, luckily distracting Dorian from his temporarily bad mood as well as saving a panic-stricken Draco from attempting to answer such a vague statement from his leader.


	19. Another Discovery

A/N: On Lorelei: the Lorelei were sirens who lured boatmen to death and destruction. Usually you hear about them in German myths, but if I recall they also appear in various forms in quite a few other cultures. Not chosen as a Gilmore Girls reference. Sorry for the confusion. I thought more people would be familiar with them. 

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Chapter 19 

Voldemort and Lucius sat in the Dark Lord's private chambers, sipping whiskey and waiting for the arrival of the Black Prince and Severus.

"Was the Prince able to make all of the necessary purchases today to effect his disguise?" Voldemort asked, impatient for more news about the status of this operation.

"Yes. From the report that Draco gave me, everything seemed to go well. They toured Diagon Alley together, making it quite clear to everyone that Draco was showing some tourists around the city. The Prince and Ginevra bought all that they should need to begin their new positions in Hogsmeade and their names were spread around as Americans who recently moved to the area."

"Good. He ordered you and Severus to join him there, did he not?"

"Yes, my Lord. We met the group for lunch…" his words faded away uncomfortably as he contemplated whether it was prudent to ask Voldemort the question that had been plaguing him since their meal together. Lord Voldemort tended to 'gossip' more with him than with his other followers, but all the same he would not likely react well to impertinent questions regarding his co-ruler's sexual preferences.

"And?" Voldemort prompted, curious to know what had made Lucius so uncomfortable.

"Forgive me if I am impertinent, my Lord, but our lunch was…peculiar."

"How so?"

Lucius was quiet for a moment. "It appears that the Prince and Severus have an unusual relationship," he finally said cautiously.

"I see. Yes, Dorian and Severus do have a slightly unusual relationship. The power balances in their bedroom and outside of it are quite complex."

"So you know?" Lucius asked hesitantly. He was still waiting to be hexed for asking about this. He was rather close with Voldemort and the two had gossiped about the Prince and his sex life before, but this was a different situation and the implications were also quite different.

"Yes. The Prince saw fit to reveal some of their relationship to me a few weeks ago."

"I see." Lucius took a long sip of his drink.

"You had thought that the Prince was forcing your friend into some sort of sexual servitude, didn't you?" Voldemort said, his amusement evident.

Lucius blushed lightly. "It had appeared to be so."

Voldemort laughed quietly, a sibilant hiss. "Their private life is theirs to keep private or reveal. I can only assume that you saw through the façade that they portray to the Death Eaters because they decided that you should. Not even I saw through it until Dorian chose to allow me to."

Lucius looked relieved. He had been worried about maintaining the impression that he had no clue about their relationship. He certainly didn't want to be punished for his inopportune knowledge.

"What did they do which revealed it to you?"

Lucius thought back to their lunch, and started retelling the story to his Lord.

_A waiter stepped into their spelled area, bringing their conversation to a halt as he handed out menus. _

_Severus promptly took the menu from Dorian's hands and gave it back to the waiter. On second thought, he grabbed Ginevra's from her as well, to better mask his actions. "I will order for our friends," he said to the waiter, glaring him away from the table._

_Lucius and Draco stared at Severus in horror, quite certain that he was about to die a painful death for daring to take away their Prince's menu. From what they had seen, the Prince did not react well to those who usurped his authority on any matter, regardless of how small it might be._

_It took them a few minutes to realize that not only was Dorian completely unfazed but that he was still chatting happily with his servant._

_Ginevra grabbed Draco's menu from his lax hands. "Stop staring," she said quietly as she perused the menu quickly, trying to decide what she wanted. She hadn't had much Greek cuisine but she was at least familiar with zucchini pie. "Kolokothopita," she said quickly to Severus before shoving the menu back into Draco's hands. _

_He nearly dropped it, still completely in shock._

_Lucius shook himself back to the present, just in time to place his own order when the waiter returned. Draco scrambled for a moment to come up with something to order but managed to do so without embarrassing himself too much. Severus smoothly ordered for himself, his sub and Ginevra._

"_So, you think to open a shop in Hogsmeade?" Severus asked, quite glad for his disguise. He had taken a polyjuice potion and then layered it with numerous glamours. He was completely unrecognizable. It had been incredibly rare that he had been able to take Dorian out on anything even remotely resembling a dinner date and he was relishing the freedom his disguise bought him to do so._

"_Yes. My sister and I have been saving for a year or so and we decided to move over here. Draco's offered to help us out with setting up the shop. We might even talk him into working with us some," he said, smirking at Draco._

"_Have you rented premises yet?" Lucius asked._

"_Yes. While we were still in New York, Lorelei wrote Gringott's Bank and received a detailed listing of the stores available for rent in the area. We've not seen it yet but it sounds perfect."_

"_Where is it located?"_

"_On the main street, if I understand correctly," Ginevra explained. "It is about two thirds of the way down, near an Italian restaurant and an apothecary. I believe there is a bookshop across from us. It's a small store but seems plenty big for us."_

"_I know just the one. A jewelry store used to let that building, if I recall," Lucius said._

"_They closed this last year," Draco explained to his father._

_The waiter returned with their food. After he left, Dorian looked down at his plate._

"_What is this?"_

"_Psari tis Skaras," Severus answered. "Grilled fish." He handed Dorian a slice of the hot bread that came out with the meal. _

_They all waited for Dorian to take a small bite of his bread before eating. As much as they knew they were supposed to treat him like a normal teen and not their Prince, they still felt awkward doing so, and eating before him was something that none of them were brave enough to do._

_Dorian smiled happily after his first bite of the fish. "Wonderful," he commented._

_Severus nodded his satisfaction but did not comment. He had never doubted for a moment that his sub would love what he ordered for him. Like any good Dom, he knew the food that his sub both liked and needed._

"_Have you never eaten Greek food before, Dorian?" Lucius asked kindly._

"_I have had it quite often."_

"_Oh." Lucius didn't quite know what to say. _

Voldemort laughed again. "It appears that you have seen Severus order for his boys before?"

"Yes. The implications were not lost on me. Added with some of the other things I had witnessed…"

"I assume that young Draco did not pick up on anything?"

"No sir." Lucius found himself grateful that his son was so clueless about anything remotely resembling alternative lifestyles. He really didn't want to have to deal with his son's shock over the situation, much the way that he was likely to misunderstand the relationship. A few more untimely words from Draco and he would find himself without a son. The Dark Lord and the Prince had both calmed their tempers some, but they could only be stretched so far.

The doors were opened and the Black Prince entered, closely followed by Severus.

"Good evening, Lord," the Prince said, sinking to a low footstool.

Severus looked at him closely for a moment before sitting in the armchair next to the footstool.

"I hear that your mission went well today, Dorian," Voldemort said as Lucius filled some glasses of whiskey for his Prince and Severus.

"Very. The rumors should have spread quite well by now, and I have no doubt that by the time school is back in session that the majority of the students will know about my sister and I and will venture into the shop to get a look at us. It will be up to us to keep them there long enough to begin our work."

"When do you intend to move out there, sir?" Lucius asked hesitantly.

"In another few weeks. I want to be there around two weeks before classes resume."

"And our other initiatives?" Voldemort asked.

Dorian immediately switched into parseltongue. They both preferred to keep their most important work a secret until they were ready to reveal it, even if it was only to Severus and Lucius. _"Research on the Veil proceeds well. They have as yet had no major breakthrough in finding my Father but I still hold hope. They truly are a brilliant group of scholars. You have assembled the best and the brightest of the magical world within this manor."_

"_Of course. Do they require anything else for their studies?"_

"_No, they have not yet given me any proposals for additional supplies or people. I will go to visit them tomorrow morning to oversee their work."_

"_Very well. Please keep me updated."_

"_How have the healers done under Ava's watch at St. Mungos?"_

"_Surprisingly well. It appears that the time was ripe for converting the other healers there. Ava reports that few witches and wizards remain firmly on the side of the light. The vast majority are willing to openly side with us or else openly support us, although they do not wish to take the marks."_

Dorian hissed in pleasure. _"Perfect. We must continue our work to convert those who lead our society. We will need them after the revolution."_

"_Yes, we will. Were you able to ascertain anything regarding the general opinion of the war while you were in Diagon Alley?" _

"_The masses appear to grow restless. They are demanding for information on the whereabouts of Harry Potter. Dumbledore is getting desperate."_

Voldemort looked at Severus for a moment before responding in parseltongue. _"And Severus has reported this to you? I was under the impression that he would not be returning to Dumbledore until the start of school."_

"_He has not. I have a spy within the Order's Headquarters."_ At Voldemort's raised eyebrow he elaborated. _"Madam Black's portrait hangs there still. She loathes the lot of them, and she reports to me every few days about the events within the house. She cannot hear everything since she cannot travel from her portrait to the others in the house, but she hears enough in the hallway and from conversations in front of her."_

"_I assume that they are unaware that Madame Black has more than one portrait and can move between them?"_

"_Of course. My Father gave me a small portrait of her shortly before he died. She visits as often as she can do so, safely."_

"_I see. Perhaps we can try to force his hand. We revealed to the Ministry that Harry Potter was missing but they are as yet unsure what that necessarily means. We have a few decisions that must be made soon."_

"_I know,"_ Dorian hissed wearily. _"I have not yet made up my mind on what to do. If we reveal that we have taken Potter and are holding him ransom then we will look like the evil ones. If we reveal that we have killed him, we once again look bad, not to mention that people may move to our side simply to save themselves, not out of any true belief. Feigned belief is too uncertain for us to depend on, and I fear that if our power grew in that manner that it would leave us just as suddenly."_

"_Yes, we would open ourselves up to potential betrayal if we gained our soldiers in that manner. Have you thought about implying that Harry Potter has run away on his own? That he found out about Dumbledore's manipulations and simply ran? We can leave it vague enough that everyone hears the implication that Potter ran to the Death Eaters to beg their protection but we will not say so outright."_

"_I see. We imply that Potter sought us out for protection against the light and that he is now in our safekeeping, although we will neither confirm nor deny that he resides with us. He would be an ally rather than a prisoner."_

"_I understand that there would still be some problems, but it might work. People would see us as a sort of sanctuary rather than as terrorists who kidnapped and tortured their savior."_

"_And Dumbledore would look even worse," _Dorian hissed happily. "Let us give this some more thought," he said in English, startling the other two men out of their haze.

"Lucius, how go the plans for our celebration?" Voldemort asked.

"Very well, my Lord. The ballroom has been expanded and all of your followers will be present."

"Excellent," Dorian said, his words still somewhat sibilant from his use of parseltongue. "They have done well over the past few months and have cause to celebrate."

"They will do even better in future or this will be the last celebration they face," Voldemort said firmly. "We cannot allow them to become lax now that we are so close to victory."

"Of course not, Lord," Dorian agreed easily. "Nonetheless, they do have much to celebrate. Our union has in effect changed the entire course of the war. Their chances for survival have greatly increased."

"There will be some there that you have not seen since you marked them," Lucius reminded him.

"I am aware of that," Dorian said, his voice growing sharp. "They will behave appropriately or they will no longer serve in our ranks. We have no room for those who cannot take orders from their leaders."

Severus and Lucius nodded their agreement quickly but retained their earlier fears. Only a select few had witnessed the Black Prince's ruthlessness when dealing with the enemy, and even fewer had seen his cruelty when dealing with his own followers who misbehaved.

The common soldiers would have no reason to think that they needed to act with even greater decorum around their new leader than they had done with Lord Voldemort. Someone was sure to misbehave and that someone was sure to die painfully as payment.

-

A/N2: Things pick up again in the next chapter. Surprising changes happen with Dorian's incubus heritage.


	20. A Celebration

Chapter 20 

Voldemort and the Black Prince entered the glittering ballroom side by side, matching each other's long stride pace for pace.

Silence swept over the finely dressed men and women within as they fell as one to their knees in the presence of their leaders. Voldemort and the Black Prince carried more power than the rest of them could ever dream of, and their very presence was nearly intoxicating as their power roiled around the ballroom.

The two leaders swept to the front of the room and turned as one to face those assembled, matching smirks on their lips.

"Welcome to an evening of celebration and victory, an evening that you have worked toward for many years. Some of you have been working for this day for nearly twenty years, others have only recently found their way into the fold. To all of you, the Prince and I bid you welcome."

"The war, unfought, is nearly won. We have won the sway of St. Mungo's, have almost complete control of the Ministry and are making inroads into Hogwarts. Little will stand in our way. The end of our journey approaches. Celebrate tonight, all of your past work and future victories," Dorian said proudly.

The men and women cheered at the words of hope and faith. They had heard similar words when the Black Prince had joined their side but the union between the Dark Lord and the Black Prince had not been celebrated in such a grand style, and so the cause for celebration had not seemed as real. They had all retained a small sliver of doubt that the war was essentially over.

The lightly pulsing warmth of both Marks though cheered them. The Prince's Mark always sent light pulses of power and strength through them, cheering and revitalizing them. The older Dark Mark was no longer a source of nearly constant pain as it had been before the alliance, and it too gave off a general feeling of vigor and incumbent victory.

The music began once more and couples quickly formed, dancing the old dances of their people.

Dorian and Tom sat down, simply enjoying the spectacle of their overjoyed soldiers. Severus and Lucius stood to each side, watching the dancing as well.

"You are dismissed, Lucius," Voldemort said blandly without even looking at him. "Go take some lovely young lady out for a song or two."

"As you wish, my Lord," Lucius said, clearly pleased to be released from his duties, although reluctant to dance. One of the most important duties of the Elite was to mingle among the common soldiers and both spy on their conversations to determine the level of morale and to encourage the soldiers in their fight.

Lucius and Severus were particularly talented at this—Lucius because he could convince anyone of anything and Severus because he had an ability to fade into the background and escape notice.

Dorian looked at Severus for a moment in silence. "Should you wish it, you may go so as well," he finally said, clearly wanting the man to stay at his side but also knowing full well that Severus should mingle with his fellow soldiers. "Mingle. Dance."

Severus paused for a moment, trying to find a way to refuse the request. Although it had been worded as a suggestion, dark lords make demands not recommendations, and the entire ballroom would have taken that as the order that it was.

He sketched a quick bow. "Thank you, my Prince," he murmured, before pushing his way through the throng of people milling about the throne.

Dorian and Voldemort began their long evening of listening to their supporters, soothing worries, granting praise and discussing strategies with those who wished it. Nearly everyone in the ballroom would seek their attention at some point in the night, even if only for a moment.

Severus sighed as he walked slowly through the room. He hated this kind of event. He knew that these celebrations were not only a relief to most of the soldiers but actually necessary for morale, but he hated them nonetheless.

If he could have escaped in any way without it being blatantly noticeable, he would have done so immediately. His new position as the Black Prince's only lover though had forced him now, more than ever, into the public eye. Is absence would be noted and commented upon for months.

He made his way to the bar and requested a whiskey before turning back and looking over the room.

Given that many of the inhabitants of the ballroom were among Britain's brightest and wealthiest, it was perhaps no surprise that they all cleaned up rather well. The women glittered with diamonds and the men did so as well, only slightly less ostentatiously.

"Enjoying yourself?" an oily voice sounded beside him.

Severus turned slowly, taking in the young man who stood entirely too close to him for comfort. He looked vaguely familiar. Probably a Ravenclaw. A Slytherin would have been recognized immediately, and most Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs were beneath his notice and knew it.

He nodded curtly, not favoring him with a response.

"I am as well. I do so enjoy these chances to relax with the other soldiers."

Again, Severus nodded. He loathed small talk.

"I haven't seen you in quite some time, Professor."

Ah. Definitely a former student then.

"You cleaned up rather well," he purred, a rather pathetic imitation of the chocolatey baritone that Snape's sensual purrs came out.

Severus raised an eyebrow and turned back to the bar. "Another," he ordered shortly.

The bartender smirked at the situation and quickly poured him a second drink.

"You must be relieved to be away from the school, away from all of those kids. No one worth…entertaining yourself with there."

Severus nearly snorted. He had been fucking a 15 year old not too long ago. Still was, although the brat was now 18 making it slightly more respectable. As a rule, he felt no attraction for the children at Hogwarts but even he could not resist the charms of an Incubus when said Incubus had set his sights on him.

"What a relief these summers must be for you. And what a treat that our leaders have provided you with such an opportunity to get out and mingle with some fresh blood."

Severus didn't even bother looking at the man, he simply pushed away from the bar, his drink in hand, and moved to the other side of the ballroom.

He could feel Dorian's eyes on him as he moved. The boy's gaze felt heated and weighty, something that he rarely experienced with his lover. Dorian seemed angry with him, and he had no idea why. While he himself was quite possessive, it was not something that had ever plagued Dorian before.

Perhaps the boy was simply irritated by the crush of soldiers surrounding the throne, vying for his attention.

He was stopped by Rodolphus and Bella.

Bella gave him a bright smile. "I haven't seen you much recently. All goes well with our Prince's work, does it not?"

"Very well. He intends to move out to his location within the month. He and his sister are evidently the gossip of the shopping districts, as planned."

"I am certain our Prince is pleased," Rodolphus said, looking toward the raised dais. "And I am sure you are reaping the benefits," he said slyly, smirking.

Severus merely smirked back and took another sip of his drink in silent agreement. "Ginevra has sought you out again, since your first meeting, has she not?" he asked Bella.

She smiled happily. "Yes, twice more. I believe she gets a bit lonely, surrounded by all these men. There aren't many women who are here on a regular basis. Ava and Cassandra are too busy and most of the other women are here even less, or are not appropriate companions for her."

"I am sure it is more than simple loneliness," Severus said. "She seems to enjoy her time with you. She has mentioned you to me a number of times. Perhaps you can see to a bit of her training this summer and next year. As much as our Prince wishes to oversee her education, I am certain that all involved would agree that perhaps someone less…volatile should be assisting the girl."

"The Prince would never harm her, would he?" Bella asked anxiously.

"I cannot say. He has never done so up until now, and she is one of the only people who can calm him nearly instantly. Would he hold back a deserved punishment? Your guess is as good as mine," Severus said.

"The girl will miss her final year of Hogwarts, won't she?" Rodolphus asked, seemingly just now realizing that she was younger than the other initiates.

Severus nodded. "There was no other way. The Prince would not brook her returning to Dumbledore's sway nor would he allow her to leave the country to seek her education elsewhere. This seemed the best solution."

"I cannot imagine that Ginevra would have tolerated being shipped off to Durmstrang too well either," Bella said, laughing. "She will be much happier this way. I assume that you will find a way for her to take the appropriate exams some way?"

Severus inclined his head. "Of course. At the end of the year she will be completing the American Qualifying Examinations. They will be administered in private, and the examiners will be obliviated afterward so they cannot reveal the truth of her age when she took them or of her identity. Either way, she will have her official scores, should she ever wish for them to pursue a higher education or need them for a job."

"As sister to the Prince that girl will never need to prove anything to get a job or into college, once the war is over," Rodolphus pointed out.

"The Prince feels very strongly about limiting such privileges. He does not wish to overthrow one corrupt regime merely to enforce a second. If certain people are given everything without being required to prove themselves worthy, the masses will revolt eventually."

"That is why he has not demanded protection for his godfather?" Bella asked knowingly.

"Just so." He looked up and saw a relieved Lucius bidding his dance partner farewell and moving quickly over to his son's side. "Excuse me. I believe that I should join Lucius. We have much to discuss."

"Of course, Severus. Enjoy your evening," Bella said, squeezing his hand quickly before stepping away for another dance with her husband.

Severus worked his way over to Lucius who stood by Draco against a pillar. "Finished dancing already?" Severus said, looking over the prospective dance partners as he sipped his drink.

"I took Bella out for one song and Cassandra for two. I believe I have discharged my duties quite well."

Severus snorted. "Draco?"

"I danced with Auntie Bella as well, Ginevra and Pansy. Done."

Severus laughed quietly. "Merlin, you two are almost as bad as me. Everyone always expects the two of you to love this type of event."

"More fools, they," Lucius said, sipping his own drink. "Who is that tiresome little boy who keeps eyeing you? It was indecent, the way he was looking at you while you were talking with Bella and Rodolphus."

Severus looked around for a moment before seeing the possible-past-Ravenclaw still looking at him lasciviously. He bit back a shudder. What a revolting creature. "I have no idea. The boy practically glued himself to me at the bar."

"Poor you," Draco said, laughing. "Guess that'll have to be your last drink tonight, unless you want to brave him again."

Severus drained his glass and thrust it into Draco's hands. "Whiskey."

"Are you serious?" Draco sighed when he saw his godfather's unwavering face and made his way over to the bar to refill the drink.

"Loathe though I am to admit it, tonight was needed. The soldiers needed to celebrate something," Severus said.

"It has been a long time since we had something to celebrate. Many of the younger recruits have never experienced one of our parties before," Lucius agreed.

"You left Narcissa at the manor?"

"Yes. The woman is a menace. Luckily, our Lord cannot abide the woman, so I have his excuse to leave her behind. Truth to tell, I think she prefers to remain behind. Leaves her more time with her lovers."

"Does it bother Draco?"

"My son knows well enough what his mother is like. He is undoubtedly just as pleased as I am to escape her presence."

Severus hummed his agreement.

"Don't look now, but I believe that your admirer is making his way over here."

"Bloody leech."

"Shall I head him off?"

"Surely the boy won't approach me while we are talking. No one could possibly be that stupid."

Everyone knew better than to disturb the two men while they were together. It was well known that they were second to the two leaders and it could never be told whether they were simply chatting or when they were discussing war strategy. Attempts at eavesdropping had proved to be surprisingly dangerous, so the soldiers simply left the two men alone.

Except for this one.

"Who the hell _is_ he?" Severus asked, exasperated at the disturbance that he could now tell was inevitable.

"I believe that is Barton's son. Pity the boy isn't as intelligent as his mother."

Severus snorted. "Bloody waste of flesh if you ask me."

"Professor," the young man purred, sidling up close to Severus. "Will you not dance with me?"

"No."

"Come now, Severus, our Prince ordered you to dance," he said, holding out his hand in invitation.

Severus bit back a growl. Dorian had requested that he dance, and unfortunately in the presence of other soldiers. He couldn't refuse gracefully. Fuck.

Lucius caught sight of Draco returning with a full drink and he nodded discretely toward his son.

Saved.

"Unfortunately, I have already promised this dance to young Malfoy," Severus said smoothly. "I would hate to disappoint."

Draco looked up to refuse—he _hated_ dancing with anyone, much less his godfather who insisted on leading—but he caught sight of his Father's face and instead replaced his irritation with a dazzling smile. "I thought you would forget," he said, passing the drink over to his father.

"Of course not." Severus grabbed his godson's arm and quickly pulled him out to the floor.

"What the hell is going on?" Draco said in a low tone as soon as they were far enough away from the man to talk.

"That man keeps following me around."

"So tell him to fuck off. Or just bloody dance with him if you don't want to make a scene. What's one dance?"

Severus sighed and concentrated on the steps for a moment. "Can you feel that?" he said, so softly Draco had to strain to hear him.

"What?"

"_That_. The Prince. Something is upsetting him, and I can't help but feel it is somehow connected to me."

"And dancing with that man will make it worse?"

"I don't know. I don't want to find out." He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up and hastily pushed Draco further away from him. "For the love of Merlin boy, don't get too close!"

"The Prince knows I am straight, not to mention that you are my godfather. This is practically like dancing with my father," Draco said with a light laugh.

"Don't question me on this Draco," Severus hissed. "Trust me."

Draco sobered immediately. The two men continued dancing as far apart as possible and still maintain the necessary amount of touch to properly dance.

The weight of the Prince's stare dropped some, and both men breathed a quick sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry," Draco said quietly. "I wonder what has him in a twist right now?"

Severus did not get a chance to respond. Someone had tapped Draco's shoulder.

Fuck.

The ignorant Ravenclaw stood there expectantly. "May I cut in?"

Draco looked nervously up at his godfather. There was no way to refuse this without breaking damn near every rule of decorum. He finally bowed nervously and stepped aside.

The two men stepped into each other's arms awkwardly, Severus because he was seething, Barton because he was so excited to finally have an excuse to touch the professor that he had lusted after for years.

He had barely put his arms around the tall professor when the music stopped abruptly and silence swept the room. The temperature dropped rapidly and the soldiers as one held their breath.


	21. Dorian's Fury

Chapter 21 

Severus turned to his Prince warily, almost scared to look at him. For it could only be his sub that had caused the unnatural stillness that had swept the busy ballroom.

"You dare," Dorian hissed to the man standing with his arms wrapped around Severus, "to lust after what belongs to me?"

Barton looked nervously up at Severus but quickly realized that he would get no help from the taciturn man. He let go of the taller man and took a hasty step away from the potions master.

Dorian continued, ignoring the pathetic attempt at placating his anger. As if stepping aside now would make up for the grievous fault the man had committed. "You dare to touch my property?"

Severus hid a wince. This would not end well. His sub was bloody well furious about something and would undoubtedly not calm down until he had taken it out on some hapless person. Hopefully it would not be himself.

"My Prince, I-I—"

"This man is mine—my own. Mine!"

The soldiers backed away nervously, trying to avoid any stray spell fire. They pushed as far away as they could, crowding each other into the corners and leaving a large gap around the Prince's lover and the other soldier.

Severus and Barton were left alone to face the Prince's wrath.

"How long have you been fucking him Severus?" he demanded, turning his burning eyes to his Master.

"My Prince…" Severus began, at a loss for words. "I have never met this man before this evening. I have never touched him before."

"Do you consort with all of your lovers before your Prince's very eyes?" Dorian asked scathingly. "Are you so secure in your position that you think to display your dalliances before me?"

Barton spoke up, perhaps believing honesty to be his best defense at this point. "We have never had sex, my Prince."

"Do not presume to address me. You are no soldier of mine."

"The boy speaks the truth, Prince," Severus said, trying to sort out how he had gotten into this mess in the first place.

"I can smell his desire, I can smell his lust. The boy reeks of it," Dorian snapped. "His desires are rolling off of him, infecting the room with his poison. The room stinks of his licentiousness." He was nearly hissing by the end, he was so furious.

"My Prince," Severus nearly begged, "you must believe me. I have never touched this man before this very moment."

"This creature _dares_ to touch my mate before my very eyes and you have the audacity to renounce him? I know what stands before me Snape, and I know when my mate tries to play me for a fool."

"My Prince," Barton begged, "you must believe us. We are not lovers."

"In truth, I do not even know his name," Severus added, growing frustrated. "He sought me out for a dance, nothing more."

"If you would dangle your lovers before me then I shall do so as well," Dorian announced bitterly, drawing his wand and hissing a spell.

Barton's body was suddenly snapped up off the ground, his feet dangling above their heads. The soldiers held back gasps as they saw the thick rope twisted around the man's neck as his legs kicking wildly in a desperate effort to find the ground.

Severus stared at the dangling man in horror for a moment, knowing full well that the boy would die for the simple fact that he had an inopportune crush and had displayed it at the wrong time. "My Prince, I swear that I have never touched him. Please do not kill him for a school boy crush."

Dorian turned his icy gaze to Severus, an unreadable expression in his eyes for a moment before it was replaced by cold anger. "_Crucio_."

Severus stared at him in disbelief for a moment before the pain grew too great. He fell to the floor in convulsions, biting back his screams.

The curse lifted mercifully quickly.

The feet above him twitched, still seeking purchase.

"My Lord, please," Lady Barton foolishly begged Voldemort, desperate to protect her son. "Surely my son did not mean to offend."

Lord Voldemort looked at her dispassionately, and then turned to the still twitching boy. He had ordered his soldiers, on the very night that Dorian had demanded Severus from him, that they were not to touch the potions master.

He had not meant it _quite_ so literally at the time, but once the order had been given, and the whelp had dared to disobey, he had no choice but to support his ally's decision for the punishment.

Even if he had disagreed though, he would never have shown it publicly. They needed to present a united front. Their position was more secure than it had been in years, but they could still fail.

"Please!" she begged again.

Voldemort shook himself from his thoughts and sneered at the woman and her idiot son. How dare the impudent woman attempt to turn one leader against the other? The boy's life was nearly spent anyway. He lifted his wand and added another length of rope around his neck, choking the life out of him more quickly.

Dorian stepped closer to Severus' side, releasing his sensual pull entirely for the first time in his life. The ballroom was flooded with nearly blinding lust.

"You belong to me," he said firmly.

Severus could barely crawl his way through his haze. He simply pulled himself to his knees and bowed his head. "Always, my Prince."

Ginevra stepped forward slowly, shaking her newly blond curls to dispel the heady lust that her brother had released onto the room. "Brother."

Dorian swung his gaze to her for a moment. He looked surprised to see her there.

"Perhaps you should take your mate back to your rooms."

Dorian stared at her blankly for a moment then nodded. He glared once more at his Master, giving him the silent order to follow. Without a word, he turned and left the ballroom.

Draco rushed to his godfather's side, desperate to help him up. "Severus, are you alright?"

Severus waved him away urgently before Draco could reach him. "Don't touch me," he said hoarsely. "He'll be able to tell if your scent is on me."

"You're hurt. Let Ava tend to you."

"Get away from me you stupid boy! This will seem merciful in comparison to his wrath if I should go to him with another's scent on me—male or female."

"Severus, let us help you!" Draco argued, desperately fighting back tears.

"I need to go to him."

"He'll kill you!"

"He's over his anger. He needs to calm down, away from people. I must go to him."

"Sev—"

"I will not test his anger again tonight!" Severus said in a near shout. He pushed himself to his feet and swayed for a moment, trying to ignore the feet that dangled in front of his face.

They no longer twitched.

He turned slowly and followed his Prince.

Bella approached Draco, who stared after his godfather in shock. "Come away, dear. Come away."

Rodolphus stood at his other side, helping him to withdraw to a more private corner. "Your godfather can take care of himself. You know that our Prince would never harm him irreparably, regardless of his fury."

Draco allowed himself to be led away in shocked silence.

Remus fought his way to Lucius' side, and the two pushed over next to Lord Voldemort. The three withdrew quickly to a side room, leaving the other Elite to hold the celebration together in their absence.

"Something is wrong with him," Remus said quietly.

"Clearly," Lucius snapped.

"No—something is _really_ wrong. He has never hurt Severus before. Not in any way. For Merlin's sake—he's never even topped before! He is always so completely submissive in everything with Severus. To use a pain curse on him…"

"The boy might have a temper at times but he has never been so irrational before," Voldemort agreed.

"You agree that something was off about that?" Remus said quickly.

"To hang a boy for his crush?" Lucius asked incredulously. "How can that be anything but completely irrational?"

"No, it wasn't that which surprised me," Voldemort said, drawing a quick nod from Remus in agreement and a look of blank shock from Lucius. "It was the way that he ignored every word that Severus said. He has never before discounted him like that. Did his father ever display similar characteristics?"

"Somewhat," Remus said, buried deep in thought as he tried to recall the events of nearly nineteen years ago. "Around a year or so before Lily became pregnant with Dorian, Sirius became completely irrational. He couldn't tolerate her being away from him and he would become violent if she was near any other people—men or women. He forced her to move out of her home with James and into his manor. Once she was pregnant though, he calmed down and allowed her to return to James."

"How the hell did that fool ever think the Prince to be his son?" Lucius asked incredulously.

"When she returned she 'made up' with James. He believed the child to be from that union."

"More fool, he," Lucius muttered.

"Never underestimate the power of denial," Remus said, smirking.

"But Severus is a man. Dorian cannot possibly be feeling the call to breed," Voldemort pointed out.

Remus sighed. "I fear that, like many other magical creatures, Dorian may be able to bear children."

"Are you serious?" Lucius asked incredulously.

"I have heard rumor of that before, but no firm fact. Do you think it true?" Voldemort asked.

"I'm nearly certain. It is rare, and appears to come only in males who are extremely powerful and those who are solely attracted to males. A defense mechanism, as it were, to protect the race from extinction."

"Is Severus aware of this?"

"Yes. I informed him of my fears shortly after their first time together. He performs the appropriate charms every week to ensure that he could not impregnate Dorian. We weren't certain if Dorian could get pregnant, but neither of us wanted to find out the truth through trial and error, especially while we are at war."

"Even still, the Prince would be the one breeding. To become so blindingly protective of his mate is incomprehensible," Lucius argued. "It's not like Severus could get pregnant by a union with another man."

"You must understand, Dorian is one of the last Incubi-human hybrids. His behavior has no recorded precedent to compare it to. To an extent, I can compare it to his father's behavior but even that often fails due to the differences in their sexual orientation and desires."

"How old was Sirius when this happened?"

"A few years older than Dorian is now. I fear that the recent upheavals of their relationship, the extended period of starvation earlier in the summer when he could not feed, and the stress of their new positions might have spurred an early onset in Dorian.

"Now that I think of it," Remus continued, "it is not surprising that his incubus side is pushing him to breed, to reestablish his position and to secure the future of his kind. Given the wild vacillations in his recent behavior, the possibility is looking more and more likely. Not even Severus has been able to calm him sometimes, and he has needed to feed more than he did even six months ago."

"A defense mechanism to firmly establish Severus as his mate?" Voldemort confirmed.

"As well as I can tell. It seems a bit early for him to be breeding but given recent events, it makes sense. I really don't know though. It could be something completely different. No one really knows about any of this. We are walking into it blind."

"Is Severus in danger?" Voldemort asked.

"As far as I can tell, no. I believe we should go to their private rooms and check on them. Perhaps we can help to get Dorian back under control."

"I must go and check on my son. He was quite shaken," Lucius said, clearly worried about Draco's reaction to the recent events.

"Go. We will check on the Prince's progress. Come to his rooms when you are finished with young Malfoy. Send him back to your Manor when he has calmed down," Voldemort ordered.

Lucius gave a shaky smile. "I would never dream of bringing my son anywhere near the Prince while he is in the mood that he is. I will follow you shortly. My Lord," he murmured, bowing low before leaving the room in search of his son.

"Shall we?" Remus asked nervously.

The two walked quickly toward the Prince's private rooms, their fear growing as they were immersed in the icy anger that had infiltrated the halls surrounding the Prince.

Remus looked up at Voldemort for a quick moment in confirmation that they were both prepared for whatever they might find behind the door.

Voldemort gave a slight nod, and stared steadily at the door, waiting for Remus to open it.

Remus pushed the door open.

They both stopped in horror at the sight before them.

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A/N: the "never underestimate the power of denial" line is from American Beauty—or at least a line almost exactly like it.

Does anyone have an opinion on whether or not Dorian should get pregnant? I'm leaning toward no, simply because this wasn't cut out to be a m-preg fic. Yes, it discusses it, but that wasn't going to be the focus. If anyone has an opinion, let me know.


	22. Staking a Claim

A/N: I wasn't expecting such a great response from the last chapter! Thank you for each and every review. So many people pushed for the m-preg that I am now seriously considering it. I had planned to simply introduce this and then have a way for Severus to 'fix' it somehow. I'll not reveal yet what I'm going to do, but you all have definitely given me some great ideas. Thank you! 

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Chapter 22 

Dorian stood with his back toward the door, pushing Severus rather violently into the wall across from the doorway. One hand pinned his shoulder to the wall while the other tightened and loosened reflexively around the taller man's neck.

All sense of sanity was gone from the emerald eyes, instead glinting with a maniacal gleam that neither Remus nor Voldemort had ever need before—not even during the Ministry raid.

"You are _mine_," Dorian hissed in fury, still oblivious to the presence of the other men. "You belong to me and no other. All that you are, all that you have is _mine._"

Severus nodded rather frantically, trying to soothe his pet.

"I do _not_ share."

Severus continued to nod his agreement, uncertain if he should speak yet, although it was clear that Dorian was finally calming down again with every agreement.

"You will never look at another again, will you Severus?" Dorian purred, fully calmed by his mate's acquiescence.

"I have never strayed," Severus said softly.

Dorian hissed in anger, his fury returned at lightning speed by Severus' denial. "Do not presume to lie to me. You belong to me. You are my mate."

His hand tightened around Severus' throat, causing Severus to shoot a panicked look to the men who stood in the doorway, watching the scene in shock.

Remus came to his rescue with a timely distraction. "Dorian? Cub? Why don't you let Severus go now? He's not going to go anywhere, and it is just family here now."

Dorian turned slowly, his hand slipping from his master's throat to rest on his chest instead, still keeping the taller man firmly pinned to the wall. His glowing eyes swept over Remus and Lord Voldemort slowly, before turning to fully face them, keeping his back to Severus' chest so that he could not move.

"This is my human."

"We have no wish to challenge you," Remus said soothingly, taking another step back and giving him more space.

Voldemort followed him, deeming it politic to imitate his ally's godfather rather than try to deal with this on his own.

"His seed is mine."

"We will not attempt to keep him from you," Remus assured him. "We know that he is your mate."

"The other human tried to take my young from me."

Remus and Voldemort exchanged a confused look for a moment, unable to follow what appeared to be a rather large leap in logic.

Severus understood and spoke again, keeping his voice as soothing as possible. "I had no intention of touching that boy. I would never have had sex with him, much less given him a child. Merlin, it's not even possible!" he muttered, growing exasperated with the situation.

Dorian hissed irritably. "You will give young to me and no other."

Remus pulled his attention away from Severus again, sensing that Dorian was too out of control to focus on his mate right now without causing him damage. "The other human could not have carried your mate's children. Humans cannot breed like Incubi can."

Dorian merely hissed in irritation and confusion, refusing to answer.

"We do not dispute your claim to him," Voldemort said soothingly, letting a bit of a sibilant hiss in his words to comfort his ally.

Dorian calmed slightly and took a half step away, allowing Severus to finally breathe deeply.

"You know that he is mine?"

"We would never attempt to stand between you and your mate. It is as Nature herself demands," Remus said softly.

"She gave him to me, and the human tried to take him away," defending his earlier actions and ensuring that the other men understood his claim over Severus.

"You are right—Nature _did_ give Severus to you and no one could ever take him away from you. The other human did not understand that. He did not have a true understanding of your relationship as a mated pair. Had he known, he would have never approached your mate."

"The other humans understand though?"

"I will endeavor to clarify their understanding tonight," Voldemort said firmly.

A knock sounded on the door and then it was pushed open without awaiting a response.

Lucius stepped inside. "I apologize for the wait, my Lord."

Dorian all but roared at the intrusion, once more pushing Severus violently into the wall.

Remus winced in sympathy, knowing that Severus' back must be black and blue from Dorian's rough treatment of him.

"You will leave my human alone."

Remus shoved Lucius behind his back, keeping him as far away as possible from the volatile Incubus.

"Has he been like this the entire time?" Lucius asked, as quietly as he could.

"No, only now. Why is he so much more threatened by Lucius than he is by us?" Remus murmured to the other men, wracking his memory to try to think if Sirius had behaved in a similar fashion during his fits.

Voldemort turned back to Dorian and took a cautious step forward. "Lucius has no desire for Severus. He is human. He cannot breed with your mate. He is no more threat to your claim over your mate than your godfather or I."

Dorian stared at him blankly before responding. "The human can breed. I can smell it on him. The werewolf cannot. The moon takes the young from him. And you cannot breed at all any longer. Not since you were reborn."

Voldemort looked to Remus in question, and Remus murmured his confirmation. "Werewolves can occasionally get pregnant but we miscarry at each full moon. The cubs cannot take the transformation."

Voldemort nodded his understanding, and did not bother to inform his soldiers of the status of his own sexual abilities. He focused instead on Dorian. "Lucius can still have sexual intercourse with another person, but he has neither the desire for men nor the ability to carry a man's child. You alone can do that. We are no threat to you."

Lucius stepped out from behind Remus, thinking the situation had been absolved with his Lord's simple but reasonable explanation.

Dorian leaped toward him, an unearthly part-growl, part-scream tearing itself from his throat.

Remus hastily pushed the blond behind himself again, sending a silent prayer to the gods that the foolish man would remain there this time.

"Dorian, pet," Severus said, stepping closer to the raging Incubus. "Lucius meant no harm. You know he is practically a brother to me."

"Not helpful," Remus whispered. "Incubi have somewhat…twisted views of family relations. Remember his activities with his father…"

Severus winced. While he was relatively certain the two had never had penetrative sex, they had most definitely engaged in threesomes together, as well as some other activities he tried not to think about.

The culture of Incubi was something that he, as a fully human being, would have little chance of completely understanding.

"Your mate has remained true to you," Voldemort said firmly. "You would know if he had truly strayed. The other human did desire him, and you defended your claim and rid yourself of the competition. There have been no others who wish to challenge your claim to him."

Severus laid his hand hesitantly on his sub's shoulder. Dorian spun around to face him, nearly startling Severus into backing away. He stood his ground.

"You know that you are the only one I want," Severus said soothingly.

Dorian made a low noise of assent, and looked up into his Master's eyes.

The frenzied madness and anger was finally starting to leave the green eyes, albeit slowly.

"I will give children to none but you."

Dorian nodded, and calmed some more at the open admission that he alone would bear Severus' children. "Only me, Sir."

Severus glanced at Remus out of the corner of his eye. Both of them recognizing that with the use of his title, Dorian was returning to his right mind, however slowly.

"You will be the bearer of my children. Only you. I want no one else."

"Yes Sir. You'll not give someone else my young," he confirmed again, needing to hear the words one more time.

"Of course not. I am your mate. It is only fitting that I give you babes."

"You will give them to me now?"

"You have displeased me with your distrust."

Dorian whimpered low in his throat, distressed at the thought of hurting his mate.

Severus decided that Dorian was stable enough to pull him firmly back to his place. "On your knees, boy," he ordered harshly, willing to pull out all the stops. It was rare that he resorted to calling his pet 'boy,' but if there was ever an occasion that demanded it, this was certainly it.

Dorian collapsed to his knees immediately, his hands obediently resting on his thighs, his head bowed low.

A single glare from Severus encouraged the others to leave the room.

Voldemort led the way into the sitting room, where the three men stood for a moment in silence.

"I…I've never seen…" Lucius said, at a loss for words. The image of his leader collapsing with such ease and grace and—damn it! Such _relief_—into such a subservient position had shocked the very words from him. He had learned shortly before that they were in a relationship like that, but it had not seemed entirely real. Somehow, watching his friend order for the Prince was radically different from watching such complete and obviously familiar dominance.

"Dorian needs that. He needs the relationship he has with Severus to be the way that it is. He needs the control and the dominance," Remus explained softly.

"Thank Merlin for that," Voldemort muttered. "Can you imagine what would have happened if Dorian was the Dom in that relationship?"

"He would have taken Severus right there in the ballroom, in front of everyone," Remus muttered, blushing to even think of it. Severus would have been horrified.

"Gods, he was terrifying enough as it is," Lucius said. "If someone who is naturally a sub can get that violent and domineering when he is breeding then I shudder to think of what he would have been like if he was a natural Dom."

"Was his father this violent?" Voldemort inquired.

"He didn't actually kill anyone, but a large part of that was that Lily understood what was happening immediately and withdrew to one of the Black holdings. Not to mention that Sirius only ever faced a few potential 'threats' to the woman he wanted, not a ballroom full of them. And of course, Lily was not his actual mate, which had to have dulled the possessiveness."

"Do you think he'll will allow the Prince to get pregnant?" Lucius asked, mind racing as he tried to envision a heavily pregnant young leader storming the Ministry. Morgana, what a disaster that would be.

"He couldn't even if he tried," Remus said. "Severus uses the proper spells at least once a week, usually on Wednesdays. The spell was just renewed a few days ago, and it can last safely for up to two weeks."

"And how long will this breeding madness last?" Voldemort asked dryly. "From what it sounded like, he will remain like this until he either carries Severus' child or is dead."

"It might. We really don't know. Severus is one of the best Doms I have ever heard of though, and if anyone can keep a raging Incubus in line, it's him," Remus said.

"Do you think that Severus can keep the Prince under control and in his mind almost indefinitely?" Voldemort asked.

Remus shrugged. "It's hard to say. I doubt it though. We can only hope that he keeps Dorian distracted for long enough for Severus to come up with a better plan."

"I certainly hope that he has a restorative potion in there," Lucius said, finally managing a weak smirk.

Remus laughed softly. "The top drawer in the bedside table is full of them. High libido or not, no human can possibly match a teenaged Incubus desire for desire. Don't tell Severus that I told you that though. He likes to pretend that he can more than keep up with Dorian."

"I need my leader fit to lead an army," Voldemort said irritably. "Pregnant of not, I need him aware and ready to fight. Fix this."

Remus nodded, sobering quickly. "I will speak with the researchers and Cassandra. Hopefully when Severus can get away we will have some basic research started for a suppressing potion for Dorian. If Severus can manage to suppress the werewolf at the full moon, he can certainly handle a breeding Incubus."

"Do you think you could convince the Prince to take it? How can we possibly fight him? Forget his magical strength—just look at his weapons as an Incubus! It takes a bare second to have the entire building lying on the ground panting for him, completely unable to move. If he wants to resist he can do so without effort." Lucius exclaimed.

"If anyone can get that potion down his throat it is Snape," Voldemort said. "Collect the soldiers. I have something to discuss with them," he hissed, pulling his wand out and running his fingers along the light colored wood.

Lucius paled once more and nodded quickly. He recognized when his Lord was in the mood for a bit of torture. If had been a long time since he had last taken his frustration out on his solders, but given recent events and the soldiers' involvement in the current predicament, it was not terribly surprising that he was turning to them once more for anger management. "As you wish, my Lord."

"Stay," Voldemort hissed to Remus as he started to follow them out. "Assist Severus should Dorian be pushed out of control again."

Lucius and Voldemort stepped out of the room leaving Remus alone to intervene should he sense that Severus needed assistance.

Remus slowly started dismantling some of the stronger silencing charms that separated the sitting room from the bedroom, so he could hear Severus if he called for help. He could only hope that the weaker charms would block out any noises that he did not want to hear from his cub.

Black PrinceBlack PrinceBlack PrinceBlack Prince

Severus stared down at his sub, trying to reorient himself.

Gods, his mind was still racing from the insanity that he had been faced with since the evening began.

His body ached from the cruciatus curse and from the rough handling he had received from his normally gentle and submissive lover. It didn't shame him to admit that he had been scared out of his mind for a time there.

He had long known that Dorian might be able to carry a child. That had come as no surprise—the wolf had done a nauseatingly thorough job of detailing the possibility years before shortly after the first time he had brought the boy to his bed.

He had not been expecting him to be ready to breed now—that was for damn sure. The boy was still quite young, and he had assumed that the desire to breed would wait until he was in his twenties as Black had done.

Evidently not.

Dorian shifted nervously, forcing Severus' attention back to the smaller young man. He had Dorian under control right now and he could not risk losing his attention.

He moved to stand firmly in front of him, his legs slightly spread.


	23. Forming a Plan

A/N: The sex scenes are quite pared down. it still a bit wonky so I am not cross posting this anywhere else at the moment. Not to mention the fact that I haven't actually _written_ the full sex scenes. If anyone is interested in doing so, please contact me. 

I might, in future, write more sex for this fic (and this chapter in particular), but for now, I wanted to keep it safe for this site.

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Chapter 23 

Severus gasped as he felt Dorian clench around him.

He thrust in wildly a few more times before reaching his own release.

He collapsed on top of the sweaty back beneath him, pinning the smaller man to the bed without any concern for him. He simply focused on breathing for now, and perhaps regaining the use of his limbs.

His pet started shifting slightly under him.

Fuck.

Severus rolled off of Dorian, pulling his exhausted prick out of the tight hole with a wince. He collapsed onto his back and closed his eyes, desperate for sleep.

This whole breeding mess was going to kill him. After kicking the others out of the bedroom he had thoroughly fucked Dorian—three times. Merlin, he wanted to sleep for a week.

He nearly started crying when he felt Dorian stir next to him, his slender limbs twining around his own, his desire present in every inch of contact between the two.

"Master?" Dorian whispered.

Severus could swear he felt tears forming.

He decided to ignore the boy.

"Master?" he whispered again, a bit of a purr working it's way into the needy voice. The annoyingly awake, aware, and ready to go again voice.

Severus grunted in what he hoped was an off putting way.

Dorian moved closer, rubbing lightly against Severus' thigh. "Master."

Severus decided that it was not at all cowardly to pretend to be asleep.

"Sir," Dorian whispered, thrusting against his thigh a bit harder. He was already completely erect again. "Sir I need you. Please," he begged, tears filling his pretty voice.

"Go to sleep, pet," Severus ordered, not bothering to open his eyes.

Dorian simply reached over and grabbed one of his Master's hands, wrapping it firmly around his member. "Please," he begged, thrusting into the hand as hard as he dared. "I'll be a good pet. Please?"

"That is what you said the last time. It is time to sleep."

"Just once more."

"You said that last time as well."

"I can please you," Dorian purred. "I'll make you feel so good."

"I sincerely doubt it, pet. I am bloody well exhausted and nothing you could possibly do to me right now would feel good. Go to sleep."

Dorian held his tongue for a moment, instead focusing on rutting gently against his Master's hard thigh. His fingers strayed to Severus' chest and Severus bit back another groan.

"Let me please you," Dorian whispered again, his fingers tugging lightly on his Master's abused nipples.

"Do you wish to please me?" Severus said, finally gaining his sensibility back after the last earth shattering orgasm.

Dorian nodded eagerly, but didn't let go of the hand he had trapped around his painfully hard erection.

"You will best please me by going to bed. Feeding this often cannot be good for you."

"I haven't fed the last two times," Dorian said slyly.

Severus stamped down his irritation. "And what, pray tell me, were you doing?"

"We were making our young. You said you would give me young."

Severus wrenched his hand away from his pet. "Yes, I did. And I will. But not tonight. Tonight we need to rest."

Dorian looked out the window. "It's daytime now."

"Fuck," Severus cursed under his breath. "So it is, pet. But now it is time for sleeping."

"One more time."

Severus closed his eyes and prayed for patience. He reached for the bedside drawer and pulled out his favorite pair of muggle handcuffs. "If I put these on you, will you do your best to please me?"

Dorian nodded so eagerly he damn near fell off the bed.

"You will leave them untouched, and wait for your Master to pleasure you _if_ you deserve it?"

Dorian nodded again.

Severus breathed a quick sigh of relief and clicked the handcuffs around each slim wrist and through the slats of the headboard. "Rest," he commanded firmly.

His pet wriggled in a way that would have made his prick twitch eagerly, had he not been completely drained.

Clearly he would not be getting any rest here. "Dorian, I am going to go to the sitting room for a moment. You will not release the handcuffs. You will remain here and rest. When I return, I will reward you for your patience."

"Reward?" Dorian asked hoarsely.

"Yes. A…a…surprise. I will surprise you later."

Dorian purred happily and spread himself out, trying once more to tempt his Master back to the bed.

Severus closed his eyes for a moment and turned away. "I will be back soon. Rest."

He quickly walked to the sitting room and closed the door behind him with a deep sigh of relief. He leaned against the sturdy door for a moment, trying to collect himself.

What the hell was going on? If this was going to last for longer than a day, he sure as hell wouldn't. Less than twelve hours and he was dying.

"Severus?"

He jumped in shock, his eyes flying open.

"Re—Lupin? What the hell are you doing in our private rooms?"

Remus transfigured a robe from one of the blankets the men kept near the sofa and handed the robe to Severus. "Our Lord thought it best someone stay within easy reach of you, to help you if you needed it."

"Just help me get a few hours sleep, wolf. That's all I need right now."

Remus chuckled softly. "Of course. Is he finally asleep in there?"

"No. I handcuffed him to the bed after getting his promise to leave them locked."

"And what did it take to get him to agree to that?" Remus said, laughing harder.

"Shut up you mangy wolf," Severus muttered, throwing himself onto the couch and closing his eyes once more.

"Lord Voldemort will want a report on how Dorian is doing. I have been ordered to contact him when one of you emerges."

"Go to hell," Severus said, drifting into sleep.

Remus sighed and stepped to the door to alert a guard that Severus was ready for his interview.

Within ten minutes Lord Voldemort, Lucius, Cassandra, and four other researchers were at the door to the sitting room.

Voldemort stared at Severus' sleeping form incredulously. No one slept during a meeting with the Dark Lord. "He's asleep?"

"My Lord, I believe he was…exhausted from tending to the Prince," Remus explained quietly.

"Wake him up and give him a bloody time turner. We need to find a solution to this problem now."

Remus shook Severus' shoulder hesitantly.

"Report, Snape," Voldemort ordered.

Severus shot upright on the sofa and started rubbing the exhaustion from his face. "My Lord."

"What have the researchers found in the past few hours?" Remus asked, knowing that Severus was entirely too exhausted to even begin making a coherent statement.

"My Lord," Cassandra said, addressing Voldemort. "We are not quite certain. The best that we can determine is that the Prince has, in fact, entered into a sort of mating period that is unique to Incubi in that it has no predetermined starting time or duration. We are not entirely certain, but we believe that it will not end until either the Incubus or the human mate is pregnant. In this case, we can only assume that the Prince must become pregnant for this to end."

"We have to stop this," Severus muttered. "The Prince cannot lead an army pregnant. We are facing enough issues as it is, without adding this to complicate matters."

"Well," Cassandra continued, "we have come up with a few potential options. You must realize that these are mere theories at best right now. They might all prove to be impossible."

"Explain," Voldemort ordered shortly.

"Well, the first set of options have been at least temporarily discarded, pending your approval, my Lord."

At Voldemort's impatient gesture, one of the other researchers offered a more detailed explanation.

"Most of these were deemed entirely too risky—not that those we are left with do not have their own risks," Aiden explained.

Voldemort nodded briskly, trying to reign in his impatience.

"The first was to simply have the Prince's consort leave him," Aiden explained. "There is a slight chance that his rage and his desire are prompted solely by the presence of his consort, and his absence may allow the Prince to regain his senses."

Severus snorted at the man's title for him as 'consort.' He knew that the majority of the Death Eaters were damned if they could figure out just what to call him anymore. Few dared to use his first name, and calling him Professor Snape just seemed out of place usually.

And then his exhausted mind caught up with what Aiden had said. "Excuse me?" he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You thought it prudent to leave a raging Incubus _alone_ during a mating season? Do you wish to drive your Prince entirely from his mind and render him a raving imbecile _permanently_?"

"No…no sir, of course not," Aiden stuttered.

"Calm down, Severus," Cassandra said. "We prefaced this by explaining that these schemes were abandoned as too dangerous."

Severus sat back on the sofa, huffing irritably.

"And what else?" Remus asked, eager to restore the peace and figure out a way to help his godson.

"Well," Aiden began again hesitantly. "We had also thought that we could provide the Prince with more…partners. Perhaps he cannot calm down because his current consort is not his correct partner."

His wince at uttering those words was nearly comical to those who considered Dorian to be family—namely Severus, Remus, Lucius and Voldemort.

"I believe that any question as to Severus' position as 'mate' has been quite clearly dealt with during the past twelve hours," Voldemort said dryly. "He was rather insistent on that matter."

"Yes…well…" Aiden floundered for a way to introduce the last of their discarded ideas. He was frankly stunned that he hadn't been cursed yet, given the often volatile emotions of his leader and the two highest Elite. "We had also thought that it was possible that the Prince would not be calmed until he was given a woman to impregnate."

Remus buried his face in his hands, trying to hide his quiet, delirious laughter. Give Dorian a woman? He wouldn't know what to do with her, even if he were currently in his right mind. Merlin, he was losing it. It had been a hell of a night.

"I believe that we can safely rule that out as well," Voldemort said firmly, a thin edge of amusement showing through to those who knew him better.

"He'd tear the poor bint from limb to limb," Severus muttered. "What of the ideas you have not yet discarded?"

Cassandra picked up the discussion again. "The first potentially feasible idea that came to us was to try to find a way to suspend the breeding desire entirely. The benefits are instantly obvious. The dangers, however, will likely outweigh the potential benefits."

"And they are?" Remus asked anxiously.

"We are dealing with a magical creature that is virtually unknown to us, to begin with. We have no idea what sort of adverse reactions may come from suspending something that is part of his very nature. It could have immediate effects, or it could damage his reproductive abilities permanently."

Severus paled. "He would kill us. I know he doesn't particularly want children now, but I am quite certain that he will eventually."

"That was my thought as well," Cassandra acknowledged with a nod. "If nothing else, he will want an heir."

Everyone had accepted the Black Prince as an heir of sorts for Lord Voldemort. They knew that someday though, the Prince would wish for an heir to continue in his and Voldemort's footsteps.

"You said you had other plans?" Voldemort prompted, growing frustrated.

"Our second idea is really a spin on the first. Severus could stop using the contraception charms he has been using and simply impregnate the Prince. We could then work to put the embryo in stasis within the Prince's body. Assuming that such a thing is possible, the child would live in stasis until it was safe to remove the charms."

Severus paled as he realized that he had at least a week and a half until the charm would be fully worn off.

"And the dangers for this?" Remus asked.

"Again, we are uncertain. Women have been known to do this for centuries, particularly when the identity of a child's father might be called into question in a less than desirable circumstance. There is no record of a male of any race doing it though, much less a hybrid magical creature—to say nothing of an Incubus. We will be walking into this completely blind."

"It might not be possible to do at all," Severus argued. "What would we have then? An eighteen year old leader who is pregnant and unable to assist in the very revolution he has been planning for years?"

"Cassandra—" Voldemort's words were cut off by the eerie growls that were emanating from the bedroom. "Is that the Prince?" he finally asked.

Severus nodded tiredly. "It appears my reprieve is over." He stood wearily and shuffled back to the bedroom.

"I will have a time turner delivered to this room. The next time you can safely withdraw, please use it. The research team could use your assistance," Voldemort said.

Severus fought the urge to snap that he damn well intended to use it to sleep for more than ten fucking minutes, but he refrained. "It might be best if you all left before I opened this door. He has been calmer during the past few hours, but I do not know how long that will last."

The gathered group quickly filed out, leaving only Remus and Severus.

"Good luck," Remus said softly.


	24. It Continues

Chapter 24 (Tuesday after the party…Day 3) 

Lucius walked slowly beside Severus, keeping a wary eye on his exhausted and stumbling friend.

"There has been no change?" he asked anxiously.

"None," Severus muttered.

"How long can this last?"

"Evidently until he is with child. I've stopped even letting myself think about it."

"The research team has found nothing? There is no way to prevent this?"

"None."

"You cannot brew a potion to trick his body into thinking it is pregnant and ending this mating cycle?"

"With what time, Lucius? With what bloody time am I supposed to research, design and experiment with a completely new fucking potion?" Severus swayed dangerously as his anger spent itself.

Lucius grabbed his friend's elbow as he started to lose his balance. "Calm down, Severus. You know I meant no harm by my suggestion. I've never been able to understand potions. I know that your work is difficult, but I have no idea what goes into creating potions. I meant no offense. What will you do?"

Severus sighed and leaned heavily against the wall. He scrubbed his face roughly with his hands. "They have started focusing on countering the charm that I placed on myself to prevent this very situation from happening."

"When did you cast it?"

"Wednesday last."

"Merlin," Lucius whispered. "Eight more days?"

"Yes. Hence their work to reverse it."

"How far have they gotten?"

"Close. They asked me to return this evening."

"Is it safe to leave him like that?"

"No. I have been using the time-turner our Lord provided me."

"I fear that you have already overused it. You are falling apart, Severus."

"What else can I do? I am barely keeping him under control. The brief respite I had during that first meeting was the last time I have been apart from him without a doppelganger present. He becomes uncontrollably violent when I am out of sight for more than a brief moment."

Lucius and Severus started making their way toward the Prince's private rooms once more. The halls were strangely empty. Dorian had started reacting violently to the mere hint of the presence of anyone of breeding age and ability. Unfortunately, this was the vast majority of the Death Eaters, as few were so old as to be incapable of sexual intercourse, and none were too young for it either.

The research team was sequestered in the far reaches of the manor, and no one was allowed within the walls of the manor who did not have a specific need to be present. Voldemort had sent the majority of the Death Eaters on long term missions after they realized what was happening. The first of the reports on these missions was due back in another week though, and time was running out until the soldiers realize how completely incapacitated their Prince was right now.

The chosen few who were fully aware of the situation were all Elite, and they were all working furiously to prevent the truth of the situation from emerging. Right now, the common soldiers were aware that their leader was in a mating season of sorts. Other than that, they had no idea what this was doing to him.

"I shall take our report to our Lord," Lucius said quietly as they approached the next turn. He didn't dare enter the next hall. It would put him entirely too close to the isolated rooms that the Prince was locked into.

"Thank you, Lucius. Perhaps they will have the countercharm complete by this evening."

"Even after they perform it though, your work will not be complete," Lucius said gently.

"Yes, but the end will be near. With any luck, the brat will get pregnant on the first try. We believe that simply having the charm countered should calm him greatly. He hasn't yet figured out _why_ he's not getting pregnant yet, but he might do soon, and we can't risk his fury."

"You think that his current rage is due to a subconscious realization that you have done something that is preventing him from becoming pregnant?"

"Perhaps. We are all blind in this, Lucius. I honestly have no idea. The only time that he is calm though is when we are fucking."

Lucius nodded, deep in thought. "I will forward this information to our Lord as well. This is where I leave you," he said, gesturing to the turn in front of them.

Severus nodded his understanding and walked slowly down the hall. What he needed more than anything was to sleep uninterrupted for as long as humanly possible. He was able to take naps by using the time turner, but it really just made it worse. By using the time turner he was doubling the wear on his body and still only gaining a few hours of rest.

Unfortunately, there was no other option. The research team needed him, both to assist in thinking of solutions as well as to give testimony as to what exactly was happening behind the closed and warded doors. The last time anyone had seen the Prince aside from him had been the ill-advised meeting when Lord Voldemort, Remus and Lucius had entered the rooms in search of an answer for what exactly had happened at the party.

Since that day, no one had been able to get that close to the Prince without him flying into a rage.

It was a nightmare.

Severus stopped in the outer chamber and stripped out of his robe. He banished it to the house elves' cleaning chambers. Shivering in the chill, he began an intense round of cleaning and purifying charms, seeking to rid himself of any trace of scent from another human being that he could possibly be carrying.

If he managed to rid himself of it all, Dorian would still scent him carefully, and then rub himself all over his Master, seeking to cover him in his scent.

If he did _not_ manage to rid himself of the scents, as he had not done the first time, then Dorian would go on a rampage, ultimately only calming down when Severus managed to get his attention via a very heavy handed paddling.

The door to the outer chamber opened slowly, and Severus looked up, surprised as always to see his doppleganger. He nodded to himself, and then stepped through the door that his other self held open for him.

Dorian lay on his stomach on the bed, purring contentedly. "Thank you Master," he said, stretching luxuriously.

Severus nodded. He had no idea what his future self had done to please Dorian so much, but whatever it was he was thrilled. Hopefully it would keep Dorian content for a few hours.

He settled down in one of the armchairs in front of the fire and reached for a book. He hadn't managed to focus on anything aside from this breeding mess for entirely too long.

Severus nearly jumped when he felt Dorian kneel down next to him, but calmed when he simply felt Dorian's curls brush against his outer thigh as he rested his head. Severus pet him gently. "You have been a good pet today," he said quietly.

Dorian wriggled for a moment, pleased with the compliment. The hand stilled, and he immediately sat still again. Severus resumed his petting.

Severus scanned the large chamber slowly, trying to determine what exactly his other self had done during the last three hours that had calmed Dorian down so much. He caught sight of a multitude of toys, but most of those had been out since day one.

He ran his fingers absently through his pet's messy curls as he contemplated the matter. He nearly jumped when it hit him.

Paddling.

When Dorian needed help reigning in his allure, the easiest way to do that was to push him to the breaking point without allowing him to achieve orgasm. Clearly his other self had remembered this as well, and they had just finished an intense three-hour long session.

He had never managed to push Dorian for more than two hours. Evidently that additional time had done some good though. This was the most human that his pet had managed to act since Saturday.

Severus glanced over at the toys once more, and noticed that the heaviest paddle was prominently displayed on top of the sheets, as well as some other of his favorite toys. He shook his head. Appalling that it had taken this long to think of it, really. His mind must be truly damaged from the stress of using the time turner.

"Would you like to visit with your sister or your godfather?" Severus asked quietly.

Dorian thought about the offer for a moment. "Where is Ginevra?"

"She has been removed to separate rooms a few halls away."

"Why?"

"We thought it safer, for the moment. She will return to her connecting rooms soon. Shall I have her fetched?"

Dorian started to nod and then paused. "If you wish it," he said cautiously.

"I believe that a visit with your sister is just the thing," Severus replied. He set his still-unread book back down on the table and stood to summon a house elf. A whispered conversation later and he returned to the fire where Dorian had remained kneeling. "Perhaps you should put on some trousers," he said, the order evident in his voice.

Dorian shifted irritably, but he nodded and walked over to the open wardrobe. He pulled down a pair of gray trousers and slid them on, zipping them over his hips but not buttoning them. He turned to his Master for approval.

Severus nodded, internally thrilled. This was certainly an advancement. Not only did Dorian want to see someone aside from his mate, but he had also been willing to put on clothes. He had no idea how long this mood would last for, but he was grateful for the reprieve however long it lasted. If his luck held out, perhaps it would last long enough for him to slip away and have the countercharm cast on him, to undo the contraceptive charms he always cast on himself.

He scribbled a barely legible note to Ginevra and gave it to a house elf before setting into his chair again. He smiled softly when he felt Dorian lean comfortably against his thigh again. If he closed his eyes, he could almost imagine that this whole mess was over, and that his pet was still his finely trained sub that he had always been.

A soft tap on the door presaged Ginevra's arrival.

Dorian's tossled head shot up at the noise, but no sign of aggression was present.

"Enter," Severus called out.

Ginevra entered slowly, clearly wary of moving too quickly. She, of all people, knew how lethal her brother could be when threatened. "Good evening, brother," she said quietly.

"Evening," he said back, smiling at her lazily. "When are you going to move back over here?"

Ginevra looked at Severus, the question clear in her eyes. He shook his head. "Your Master will know when it is safe for me to move back," she said gently.

Dorian scowled.

"You know he knows best, Ian," she reminded him.

He nodded slowly.

"Have you been good for Master Severus?" she asked.

"Very good," he purred back, before blinking twice. "I think. I don't really remember much before this last time. It was glorious though. I was a very good pet," he said happily.

"I've missed you," Ginevra said reaching for him before quickly aborting her attempt to hug him. She couldn't stand this distance that had come between them of necessity since her brother had entered into a mating season.

Dorian reached out a hand and grabbed her slim hand, holding it tightly. "I've missed you too. Have you heard any news from the blood traitors?"

"Some. Bella seems to think that Bill and Charlie might come to our side. When she pointed it out to me, it made sense. Both of them moved so far away so quickly after graduating. Clearly they wanted to separate themselves from the other traitors and from Dumbledore."

Dorian nodded. "I hadn't thought of that. You may be right. What are we going to do to determine their true allegiance?"

"Nothing, for now. We have too many other concerns to focus on."

"Ah yes…our shop," Dorian said with a sigh. "Seems like a wretched idea. So far away…"

"You're just saying that because it will keep you from me," Severus said gently. "You'll feel better about the idea once I am away at Hogwarts. It is the closest you can safely get to me during the school year."

Dorian muttered something incoherent and burrowed more deeply into Severus' side.

A house elf appeared in front of the group, holding out a wrinkled note. "For master Severus," the elf squeeked, before disappearing.

Severus unfolded the note carefully, his eyes scanning the note too quickly to comprehend. He took a deep breath and reread it a second time, a weak smile appearing on his face.

"Good news, Master?" Dorian asked.

"You could say that."

"It is finished?" Ginevra asked eagerly.

"Yes. Evidently there was a major breakthrough just after I left."

"I should leave," Ginevra said, standing to go. "You'll be coming as well for a moment, won't you Severus."

Dorian growled softly.

"Just for a moment, pet," Severus assured him, kissing the top of his head. "I will be back before you know it. Remain where you are."

Dorian continued to growl but remained on his knees beside his Master's empty chair, as ordered.

"Quickly now," Severus whispered to Ginevra as the two hurried from the room. "We need to get to the Elite, perform the charm and get back to him."

"He seemed much improved this afternoon," Ginevra said as they nearly ran through the halls.

"I know. I used…will use the time turned immediately after we perform the charm to go back four hours."

"Go back…" she drifted off. "He's already pregnant?" she asked, a grin breaking out on her tired face.

"I am nearly certain of it," Severus said with grim certainty.


	25. Explanations

A/N: I know it has been forever since I updated. You can thank the snow for getting this chapter. Its amazing how much time I have to write when I don't have to go to work!

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Chapter 25

Dorian sat stiffly in his armchair, next to Voldemort. His closest advisors, Remus, Severus and Lucius sat across from the two leaders. "Explain again how this came to pass," he said icily.

Remus patiently launched into the explanation again. "You must understand, Prince, that we can be certain of nothing. This was…unprecedented. As best we can tell though, this summer strained you far beyond what was readily apparent when you arrived here. Severus and I believed that you simply needed a firm hand and a few weeks of constant attention to right your inner balances properly."

Dorian's eyebrow twitched at the "firm hand" comment but he held his tongue. After all, everyone in the room was well aware of the true nature of his relationship with Severus. It still irritated him to the point of cursing the hapless werewolf for his inopportune slip. "Continue," he ground out.

"I believe that the strain rushed on your mating instincts. The urge to mate did not affect your father until he was nearly nineteen. I can only assume that it affected you so much sooner because of the circumstances surrounding your summers. The extended periods of starvation cannot have been good for you," he said gently.

"Snape came to the muggle's residence at least once a month for feedings," Dorian said, standing up and pacing for a moment in front of the fire.

"And we both know that your father recommended feeding at least once a week," Remus reminded him, wary of a reprisal for his words.

The Prince's wand was in his hand before Remus had even stopped speaking.

"Give me your wand," Severus ordered, standing quickly.

Dorian narrowed his eyes at him, clearly irritated by the interruption. "Know your place," he hissed in fury. He'd be damned if he allowed Severus to order him around outside the bedroom, particularly when he was sitting in a meeting as the Prince, and not as his Master's pet.

Severus glared right back. "Hexing the werewolf will not fix this situation."

"It will make me feel a hell of a lot better."

"No it won't, pet," Severus said, ignoring the glare that earned him. "You'll end up feeling guilty for cursing your godfather when the one you want to curse is me. I was the one who decided that feeding once a month in the summer was sufficient."

Dorian growled lightly but set his wand on the mantel. Damned man was right. Worse though, he had known that the once-monthly feedings were insufficient, but he had kept his mouth closed in an effort to impress his Master. He paced his anger away for a moment before regaining his equilibrium. "Not feeding often enough pushed me into this mating season?" he asked, his voice still tinged with irritation.

"We believe so," Remus said. "Lord Voldemort sent away the soldiers to keep them from learning everything. Only the Elite know. And Draco Malfoy. We assumed that he should know the truth, since you have accepted him to train the new recruits."

A sharp nod was the only reward for Remus' answer. "And the result?"

Silence greeted his question.

Dorian's hand reached for his wand again before he halted it. He took a deep, steadying breath. "Am I pregnant?"

"Yes," Severus said quietly.

A quick glare at the doors blew them open with a bang, tearing them nearly off their hinges. The furious incubus stormed through them, leaving his wand and the urge to curse the three men behind him. "Voldemort!" he called from the other end of the hall, his fury unabated.

Lord Voldemort sighed. "I believe my ally and I need to regroup. This pregnancy will change our strategies significantly. Remain here. Should we need you, I will send someone to fetch you."

He walked smoothly out of the room and down the hall to join Dorian. This news _did_ change everything and frankly, he had no idea what they were going to do. He was not surprised at all that Dorian, now returned to his right mind, was absolutely furious about the ill timed pregnancy. The Elite were taking a well rested break, but once they recovered from their previous work, they would begin immediately with trying to find a solution to the problem.

"That went better than I expected," Lucius said quietly.

"Much," Remus agreed. "Thanks, by the way, for stepping in," he said to Severus.

Severus shrugged. "You know I can't do that again. It only worked because it was just us. If even one other person was present you can be assured that he would have cursed both of us into the infirmary."

Remus nodded. "I had hoped that he would greet the news of his pregnancy with happiness."

"It cannot possibly come at a worse time," Lucius said, exasperated by the werewolf's comment. "The soldiers have accepted the Prince as their leader but they have not yet settled down yet. There have been a multitude of changes over the last six weeks and adding this on top of them all…I fear that an uprising may occur. I wish I could say that none of our soldiers is foolish enough to try to rebel, but frankly, I am not certain. Too many of them are completely untried in battle, and too many of them have not had the opportunity to see their new leader in battle. And now with this pregnancy, they may not be able to witness a proper battle for another nine months."

"Twelve," Severus said hoarsely. "Incubi carry their children for twelve months.

"I wish it could be different," Remus said sadly. "I just remember how happy Sirius was when Lily conceived. It changed him completely. I had hoped that Dorian could experience that."

"For Merlin's sake, wolf!" Severus snapped. "Its not like the boy can't have more babies. After the war he can have a whole litter of children if that is what he wants. How the hell can a pregnant war lord lead an army?"

Remus sighed. "I know. We'll think of something."

Ginevra stuck her head in the still open doorway. "Meeting over?"

"On hold," Severus said, sinking into his pet's armchair.

"Did it go that well?" she said sarcastically.

"I'm sure you can imagine."

"At least the madness has left him," she said, sitting next to Remus. "I assume he is discussing strategy with our Lord?"

Remus nodded. "They said they would call us when it was time."

"I can't wait for the baby!" she said, smiling. "I hope he has your eyes, Severus. I'm sure he will be perfect!"

"Don't say as much to Dorian. He needs more time to accept this," Severus warned. Internally he was thinking the same thing. As incredibly bad as the timing was, as unwanted as Dorian claimed the child to be, Severus couldn't help but feel a thrill as he thought about his unborn child.

"I know," she agreed. "It will be so much fun seeing a little incubus grow up!"

"I wish Sirius was here," Remus murmured. "We need more information on how to raise an incubus child. All we know is that whatever the muggles did nearly killed him. Do you know much about what the muggles did to Dorian, Severus?" he asked.

"Nothing," Severus said coldly. "They did nothing to him. They did not beat him or harm him or even touch him. Ever."

"I don't understand," Remus said slowly. He had never known any details about his godson's life with the muggles. Dorian didn't want to talk about it and he had never felt that he could force a confidence.

"I believe I made myself clear enough," Severus said. "They ignored him completely. They never spoke to him expect to berate him. They never touched him, even in punishment. The boy was so touch starved when I got him that it was a miracle he was even functioning. Such a life would be difficult on any child, but on an incubus, who needs human touch so desperately…"

Ginevra sighed. "Bastard muggles. Where the hell are they, anyway? I thought we were going to get to play with them."

"They are in the dungeons," Lucius said. "I can take you to them later. I am afraid they are a bit worse for the wear. Quite alive though."

"Good."

"I trust that this will never be mentioned again?" Severus said to Lucius.

"I would never betray my Prince's trust," Lucius vowed. "I had, of course, known that his life with the muggles was unpleasant. My son reported to me that he had been housed in a cupboard under the stairs when he was a child. I had not known that their particular cruelty would be quite so…vicious. I will speak of this to no one."

Severus nodded, and the small group settled in to wait for the Prince and Voldemort to call them back.

BlackPrinceBlackPrinceBlackPrinceBlackPrince

Dorian sat on a chair beside the fireplace, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "What are we going to do?" he whispered to Voldemort.

"I don't know," Tom answered. "What do your instincts tell you to do?"

Dorian snapped up straight, his eyes blazing. "I don't know. That's the problem, damn it! The human half of me is bloody furious. What the fuck was Severus _thinking_ getting me pregnant?"

"You do know that he had no choice, don't you?" Tom asked. "You were completely uncontrollable. Not even I could have stopped you."

Dorian shrugged uncomfortably. "The other half of me—the incubus half—is…is happy, I guess. I can't really recognize it. It's a bloody effort to stop purring."

Voldemort snorted at the thought.

"This is getting us nowhere. What are we going to do?"

"I am afraid that your shop idea, at least in the long term, is not impossible. If anyone catches sight of a visibly pregnant wizard they will know instantly that you are not entirely human. And we have seen how Dumbledore's forces react to non-humans."

Dorian nodded slowly. "I could still set up the shop. Go there for the first five or six months with the help of a glamour. After that, I don't think any glamour will be able to hide my pregnancy."

"And your excuse for leaving?"

"We'll think of that when the time comes."

Voldemort sighed, turning the plan over in his mind. "You may be right. Loathe though I am to send you away at a time like this, we have already set too many wheels in motion to prevent this store from opening. If we do, there will be too many questions."

"And it is still our best means to get at the students. Dumbledore is brainwashing them. They must be educated. They need to understand what their choices are, and they need the opportunity to come to our side of their own volition. Short of sending me into the school itself, I don't see how else we can do this."

"Severus will pitch a bloody fit if we even suggest that you return to Hogwarts," Voldemort said with a smile. He vividly remembered the last fight the two had when they had first started discussing the possibility of Dorian returning to Hogwarts under cover.

"He's already having kittens over the thought of me moving to Hogsmeade for this store," Dorian said, a smile tugging at his lips. "Merlin, what a mess."

"Although this is not the best timing, there are certain benefits to this pregnancy," Voldemort said, sitting down next to Dorian. Dorian cocked an eyebrow in question, and Voldemort continued. "I made you my heir and my equal, not only because you deserved the position but because you are the closest I will ever come to creating an heir. We both know that I will never be able to give a woman a child."

Dorian nodded his understanding.

"Your heir will be different though. A child of two magical parents, with extraordinary powers? He will be incredible, and will be a proper, pure blood heir for the Dark forces. It will set minds at ease, knowing that the succession is already protected."

Dorian smiled and rested a hand over his flat stomach. "Our heir will be strong," he reassured the man that he had come to see as part-father, part-brother.

"Yes, he will be. And with the most powerful witches and wizards in the world rearing him, he will be a brilliant leader as well."

Dorian finally met Tom's eyes with a smile. "Shall we call the others in?"


	26. The New Recruits

Chapter 26

Draco watched the youngest soldiers as they trained in front of their Prince. This training session was of unbelievable import to every soldier as well as Draco himself. Training the soldiers had been his first major assignment in his new, higher position for the Prince, and he was terrified of having displeased the irritable and unpredictable Prince. As Goyle missed yet another counterspell he barely concealed a wince. This was not going as well as he had hoped. He knew full well that each and every mistake would be taken out on his hide. As their primary training commander, it was his fault that they were unprepared.

In his defense though, he had only been given three weeks in which to whip this bunch of young adults (most of them barely post graduate) into proper shape to fight alongside the Death Eaters. Unfortunately for Draco, the Prince was highly unlikely to give a damn how impossible the task assigned to the Malfoy heir had been. The task had gone unfinished, and Draco knew there would be reprisals for that.

A stray curse hit a student from Beauxbatons, Ellis, in the head and he went down like a ton of bricks. Draco fought the urge to rub his forehead in consternation.

"Not a very inspiring lot, are they?" the Prince remarked dryly.

Draco stared at him for a moment, surprised that he was not faced with blind fury and a slew of dark and painful spells. "No," he said hoarsely before clearing his throat. "No, they are not, my Prince."

"Tell me, dragon," Dorian said amiably, still facing the young soldiers and watching the training rather than look at his subordinate. "Can their incompetence be placed on your shoulders, or does it belong somewhere higher?"

Draco paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. He knew well the danger he was in. If he tried to deny his own responsibility and place the blame elsewhere, he would look like a coward. If he accepted it all, then he would look as though he were the sole person responsible. He sent up a quick prayer that a slight equivocation would not be thought to be weak, and therefore worthy of punishment. "Both, my Prince."

"Do elaborate," Dorian said, amused by Draco's nervousness. He was well aware of the thoughts that had just flickered through the young Malfoy's mind.

"I will admit that I did not train the new recruits as thoroughly as I ought to have," Draco said carefully. "I have required eight hours a day, six days a week of training from all of them, regardless of previous talent level. From this display, I can see that I should have had them all move to the Manor to train full time."

Dorian nodded his head at that remark. "I somehow doubt that some of these…specimens…would be up to our standards, even with non stop training."

Draco nodded. "That is my thought as well. The results you see below are partially due to Dumbledore and Maxine, at Beauxbaton. Both of them depend entirely too much on the light magics, and both of them have become increasingly lax in their educational requirements. The standard for professors eligible to teach at both institutions have plummeted in recent years, and the requirements for graduating with a full diploma have decreased exponentially. What we have here are poorly prepared, undereducated students who had no business even leaving school, much less entering an army. My Prince," he tacked in hastily, realizing that he had just run on for entirely too long in the volatile Prince's presence.

Dorian nodded once more, turning the words over carefully in silence. After a further half hour of watching the pathetic display he started toward the training ground. "Walk with me," he ordered Draco.

Draco hurried after Dorian, relieved that he seemed to have escaped a punishment. Although he would certainly not put it past his leader to punish him in front of the new recruits, as an exercise in humility.

The new recruits stopped training immediately upon realizing their Prince was in their presence. They sunk to their knees to await his words.

Dorian looked over the sorry lot slowly. "That display was pathetic," he hissed. "None of you are remotely ready to enter into battle. You are liabilities when you should be assets. You," he snapped, pointing to Parkinson. "And you," he said, pointing to a young man he did not recognize. Both blanched. "You two are the only ones who showed enough talent to make this exercise worth while. You will assist Malfoy in training the rest of these creatures. Until you receive further notice, you will take his orders as mine," he said, making it clear that they reported directly to Draco.

Both soldiers nodded and stepped to Draco's side.

Dorian continued to divide the soldiers into groups, although this time he did not explain what each group would mean. When he finished, he paced through the groups slowly. "You," he said to the largest group, "are completely useless. You will move to Malfoy Manor until further notice. You will follow all orders from Malfoy and his assistants without fail, or you will be brought before the next meeting as entertainment. Should Lord Malfoy deign to instruct you, you had damn well better memorize every move he makes. You should be so lucky as to have such an instructor," he muttered.

The assembled soldiers rustled nervously at this announcement, uncertain whether moving to Malfoy Manor would be a good thing or not. They were all fully aware that they were inexperienced, and that they needed to gain experience, but somehow none of them had ever expected it to come like this. By the same token though, gaining experience in a hard core training camp was a hell of a lot better than being thrown into the field blind, and praying they could survive.

"You," he said to the next largest group. "You will all report to Malfoy Manor by no later than 9 a.m each morning. You will remain until 7 p.m. Should any of you wish it, you may instead move into the manor with the other group. That is not a requirement for you, as you all seem to retain _some_ modicum of ability."

He waited for them to nod their understanding before continuing. "You," he said to the smallest group. The four soldiers fell to their knees again, certain that they would all be forced to leave the army. Crabb, Goyle, Essex and Wolff were quite aware of the fact that they had the least talent of anyone present. And they were all equally aware of the fact that they were unlikely to ever get too much better.

"Your talents are better used elsewhere," Dorian said, hiding his amused smile at their fear. The terror left the small group immediately at his words though, ending his amusement as well. Pity. "Should you choose, you may continue to train with the others. I would recommend coming instead to train at Headquarters. Those of you who choose this option will report tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. Questions?"

"What will these four be doing, my Prince?" Draco asked nervously. He knew that Crabb and Goyle were struggling in his training camp, but he was worried about what the Prince would do to them.

Dorian understood his motivation for asking the question and turned back to the four young men in question. "There is a very small portion on the Death Eaters and Elite who serve in a manner different from the average soldier. Crabb, Goyle, your fathers are two of these members. My godfather, Remus Lupin, is also one. All told, there are only ten members at the moment, although I believe the four of you will fit in well. I can reveal no more information at this time. Lupin and Goyle will provide details tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, my Prince," Draco said, bowing low.

"Carry on," Dorian replied, turning to leave the training field. "Draco, follow me," he ordered when it was clear the blond did not realize he should accompany his Prince.

Draco rushed to catch up. "How may I serve you, my Prince?"

"Are you pleased with my orders?" Dorian asked blandly.

"Yes, sir," Draco said immediately. "The additional time to train will be well used."

"If it is not, I will take it out on your hide," Dorian said calmly, not betraying the slightest hint of irritation. "I will come to reinspect within the month. There will be a marked improvement by then."

Draco nodded eagerly. "Of course." He paused for a moment, trying to drum up the courage to ask his next question. "Might I bring in other assistance in training them, my Prince?" he asked hesitantly.

"Whom would you bring to the Manor?"

"My aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange. And Rodolphus Lestrange. I cannot think of any others at this point."

"You may bring both Lestranges in, whenever they wish it. You will seek my approval or Lord Voldemort's before bringing in any others. You may inform the new recruits that if they do not pass my inspection, your replacement will be Walden Macnair. I trust that will encourage them sufficiently," he said, raising an eyebrow at Draco.

Draco nodded fearfully again. Merlin, Macnair would slaughter the young soldiers. They would be lucky if a handful made it through his training alive. "Thank you for your trust, my Prince," he said humbly.

"You may return to your charges," Dorian said, waving him away. Draco left as quickly as he could, making Dorian sigh in pleasure. Merlin he was pleased to be away from that lot. He couldn't wait to get back to his Master's rooms. The week that he was completely out of commission due to the mating urges had thrown everyone for a loop. He now felt massively behind schedule. He had originally planned to be in Hogsmeade by the end of this week, but that would have to be pushed back at least a few days.

He reached his room and pushed open the doors eagerly. Severus looked up from his book, setting the thick tome aside and sitting up in his chair. "How did it go?"

Dorian started shrugging his robes off. "They're pathetic. I don't know if they'll be ready to enter into active duty before this whole thing is over."

"That bad?" Severus asked; shocked to think that the war could possibly be over before the new recruits would be ready to fight in it.

Dorian nodded and slipped to his knees to his Master's right. "A handful aren't too bad, but the rest…" he sighed. "Draco certainly has his hands full. Thank Merlin I gave him that task instead of taking it on myself. I would have killed half of them by now."

"Will you and Ginevra be ready to move to the shop by the end of the week?" Severus asked, stroking his pet's dark curls soothingly.

Dorian shook his head. "I don't think so. By the middle of the next week though, we should be able to. When do you have to go back to Dumbledore?"

"In two weeks," Severus said heavily. "We have been lucky thus far in our reprieve. From what I can tell, Dumbledore's popularity has faded with each week that he has been unable to present the Boy Who Lived to the populus who is even yet clamoring for his presence. No one seems to be able to decide if Harry Potter is dead, or has been kidnapped by Voldemort or if he is being hidden away by Dumbledore. At any rate, their blind trust has been shaken. It is the perfect time for the Death Eaters to begin to make their move."

"We have already infiltrated the hospitals and the Ministry. Ginevra and I are working on the students. We need to make a big push into the general public as much as possible. We need a Death Eater working in as many businesses as possible. We need them to be spreading discontent in as many markets as can be reached, talking up the shoppers at every turn. We need—"

"I know," Severus said, resting his hand gently on his overworked pet's cheek. "Tonight though, you can do no more. You and Voldemort have prepared as many Death Eaters as possible and they should be ready to move into place soon. You have done all you can to prepare. Now it is time to relax for the evening."

Dorian sighed but conceded the point. His Master was right, as always. No need to get worked up this late at night.

"How are you doing, pet?" Severus asked gently.

Dorian shifted restlessly. "I don't know, Sir," he whispered. "I am…happy that I carry your youngling. And I'm scared. And mad."

Severus laughed lightly. "All of which are legitimate feelings, given the circumstances. I have been working with the Elite in an attempt to halt the pregnancy safely. If we cannot halt it…well, we will deal with that in a few months."

"You won't make me abort it?" Dorian asked softly, his fear evident.

Severus gripped his chin and forced the boy to meet his eyes. "I would never ask such a thing of you. Nor would I allow it. This pregnancy is ill-timed; I am the first to admit that. But it has happened, and there is no going back now. I am pleased that you are carrying my child."

Dorian searched his eyes for a moment, before smiling. "Me too," he said softly.

Severus reached over to the table and lifted up a long, thin box. He presented it hesitantly to his pet. "In celebration of the conception of our child," he said, holding it out to Dorian.

Dorian's stared at the box with wide eyes, before reaching out to take the box. He ran his long fingers up and down the white box for a long moment, enjoying every moment of this rare treat. Gifts were rare in his life, and even rarer still from his Master, who usually preferred physical gestures of appreciation as opposed to gifts. "Master," he said, words failing him in his attempt to express his pleasure and his thankfulness and his unworthiness of whatever the gift might be.

"Open it, pet," Severus said, smiling his understanding.

Dorian drew the lid off of the box slowly, and gasped loudly when he saw the gift. A thick, heavily bejeweled collar fit inside the box, the gold and emeralds glinting in the firelight. "Master?" he asked hesitantly, feeling even more uncertain of such a beautiful gift.

Severus reached down and lifted the heavy collar from the box. "It has been charmed to remain invisible to all but those who know the truth of our relationship." He ran his potion stained fingers over the jewels that spelled out "pet", feeling the spell throb under his fingertips. "You may apply your own concealing spells on top of mine, should you wish." He knew that it was unlikely for anyone to be able to break through his spells, but it would be impossible for anyone to break through Dorian's spellwork.

Dorian nodded, his eyes still glued to the sparkling, beautiful collar.

"Turn around," Severus said. When Dorian made no move to obey he chuckled and pushed the boy around. Before Dorian could move again to look back at the collar he slipped it around his neck and fastened the latch so that it fit tightly around the boy's neck. "There," he said, handing him a mirror so he could see it again.

Dorian gasped at the sight of the collar around his slim neck. "It is so beautiful, Master," he whispered, fingering the letters on the collar. "Pet doesn't deserve this."

"Hush," Severus said, petting him again to keep him calm. "Are you going to question your Master over every little move he makes?"

Dorian shook his head frantically and handed the mirror back. He leaned against Severus' knee with a contented sigh, his hand still stroking the beautiful collar.


	27. Preparing for Hogsmeade

Chapter 27

"Oh Severus, it's beautiful!" Ginevra squealed in delight, her newly-American accent grating on Severus' ears.

"Get out of our bed," Severus muttered half heartedly, rolling over and burying his head in Dorian's dark curls. Merlin, the brat woke up early, and she went out of her way to make sure the rest of the Death Eaters were up as well. If his pet didn't love her so much, he swore he would string her up by her toes.

Dorian stretched lazily, pressing against his Master as fully as possible and purring lightly as he felt His hard length against his hip. He knew that Severus was unlikely to give in and fuck him again this early in the morning, especially now that his sister was with them, but a boy could hope, couldn't he? He turned back to Ginevra to show off his collar to its best advantage, lifting his chin high to show off the glittering name that Severus had inscribed on it. "He gave it to me two nights ago," he said with a smile. "To celebrate the conception of his young."

Ginevra grinned. "It's perfect. Budge over; it's chilly in your room." She crawled under the blankets next to Dorian, cuddling up with him. "Where did you get it, Severus?"

Severus finally gave up on getting back to sleep, rubbing his face tiredly to try to wake up. "Family jewels. Someone might as well enjoy them."

"The jeweler did a great job re-setting them," she said, still fingering the glistening collar. "Did a Death Eater do it, or how did you keep it from getting out?" It was certainly not everyday that the potions master of Hogwarts would have an emerald, gold and platinum collar made, with the name "pet" emblazoned on it. She was sure that would stir up quite a few stories, but she was equally certain that the obsessively-private potions master would have avoided such a thing at all costs.

"Family jeweler. He wouldn't dare spread stories," Severus said, reaching for some trousers. "Are you ready for today?"

"I think so. What do you think, Ian?"

"Yes, Sir," Dorian said, speaking to his Master rather than Ginevra "I'm nervous, but I know that we need to do this. Once we get established in Hogsmeade we can begin the next stage of our work. And I remain convinced that this is completely necessary. If we allow the children at Hogwarts to remain immersed in Dumbledore's lies, they will stand no chance of ever coming over to our cause. As soon as they have grown up and can amass an army, they would seek our overthrow. And as much as I would like to believe that we could crush any uprising that might someday come, I do not wish to run foolishly into a war that can be avoided. We need this generation of wizards on our side, or at least willing to accept change."

Severus nodded. He definitely understood the arguments, and in certain moods was more than ready to agree with them. Right now though, it was rather difficult to force himself to allow his pet to leave his side and venture out so close to Hogwarts. "Have you accustomed yourself to your new appearance?" he checked. After that first day in which Dorian had changed his appearance to look as he would as the shopkeeper, he had not seen the change again. For a new metamorph, it was vital to practice the change as often as possible to ensure he could hold it.

"Yes Master, I have been practicing it a bit each day. I can hold it effortlessly, and I shouldn't have any problems because I haven't changed my name. Not to mention the fact that no one at Hogwarts knew the real me – there's no way they could recognize my personality and know who I really am. And Lord tied the accent charm to my changed appearance, so it will leave immediately when I assume my true form. It should make it easier to switch back and forth, and attend meetings."

"And you, Ginevra?" he said, turning to her.

She nodded her head. "I think I'm ready. My hair is so blond, and that'll likely push off most people who would question who I am. I doubt anyone would associate me with the Weasleys. Not to mention the accent spell that our Lord has performed on us. And with the blue muggle contacts, I'll be perfectly safe."

"And your name?"

"Lorelei."

Severus groaned at a sudden thought. "Do tell me the two of you have chosen a last name."

Ginny grinned. "Of course. We're Dorian and Lorelei Arbis." Both of them had agreed upon a last name with absolutely no significance or second meaning. Doing something as foolish as that would be a dead giveaway. Dumbledore was a maniacal control freak, not an idiot. They would be watched closely enough as it was, being two new young adults who had such close access to the youths of Hogwarts. Having a name such as 'Jameson' or 'Evans' would be foolish in the extreme.

Dorian slipped out of bed to assist Severus in dressing. "You go back to Dumbledore in three days, is that right?" he asked quietly.

"Yes. You have nothing to fear," Severus said softly, running his potion stained fingers over his pet's cheek. "He suspects nothing, and you and Tom have provided me with plenty of false reports to present. He will believe that I have spent my time well, and have returned to him with a wealth of information."

Dorian nodded and continued buttoning the long line of black buttons down his Master's chest.

"Dress," Severus ordered once he finished with the buttons, turning the boy toward the wardrobe. "The Malfoys will be here soon and Draco will have kittens if he arrives and you're still naked."

Dorian rolled his eyes but complied. As always, his Master was correct. Draco was certainly not ready for such a thing yet. "Ginevra, Draco and I will have a small meeting in the sitting room when they arrive. Please entertain Lucius during that time," he said to Severus, donning his role as the Prince even as he donned his clothing.

Severus nodded. "Very well. We will await your orders. Please do see us before leaving for Hogsmeade though. Will Lord Voldemort attend this meeting?"

"It is unlikely," Dorian said, shrugging on a simple, dark blue robe. "He has a meeting with Cassandra and the others working at St. Mungos. Not much time has passed since we stationed the others there, but evidently they already have important information to report. Tom and I will discuss everything tonight, at around eleven, unless something else comes up."

"I assume you will use your connection to discuss this?" Severus asked, his concern evident.

"Yes, Sir," Dorian said with a smile. "I will not floo back here unless the situation is dire, and we thought we should limit the amount of apparition as much as possible. If someone drops by our store or our rooms, we need to be there and be available as much as possible. If I leave every night to come back to Headquarters and have meetings with Tom, people might notice. And rumor has it that Dumbledore has a method of monitoring all apparition into and out of Hogsmeade. If he notices me coming and going routinely, all could be lost. By communicating mostly through our connection, I can end the connection at any given moment without anyone noticing anything."

A knock on the door indicated that the Malfoys were present. "Enter," Dorian called out, sliding his wand into the holster he had put on only moments before. Although he had little need of a wand, his the citizens of Hogsmeade would certainly question him if they saw him perform magic without a wand.

"Good morning, my Prince," Lucius said, bowing low. As he stood his eyes caught the glittering collar that peeked out above his Prince's dark robe. A quick glance at his son confirmed that he saw nothing out of the ordinary, and Lucius was reassured that surely his old friend had placed a multitude of spells on the collar before giving it to their young leader. "The Malfoy family is honored that you have chosen our heir to assist you in this important mission."

Dorian inclined his head in acknowledgement of the formal words. "Draco, go into the sitting room. Ginevra and I will join you in a moment."

The nervous teen walked past his father and godfather, trying to keep his nerves calm. He had done remarkably well since his prior-school-enemy had ascended to such a high rank, but he was still incredibly nervous about mucking it up. This mission, while an honor, seemed like one extended opportunity to fuck up. And given his penchant for putting his foot in his mouth…well, needless to say, Draco was a bit on edge.

"I hope we have not displeased," Lucius said hesitantly, once his son had exited the room.

Dorian didn't bother to answer the question, and instead started his own line of questioning. "Severus has decided it would be prudent to advise young Malfoy of my current condition," Dorian said, turning back to the mirror and running his hands through his dark curls. Although he was not a particularly vain man, he would miss his current appearance, if for no other reason than that he knew it pleased his Master. He shook his head and returned to the issue at hand. "What is your opinion on this matter?" he asked Lucius.

Lucius paused for a moment in thought, studying the Prince's slim back. "It might be wise to do so. If he knows, he can help to protect you and the child. He can certainly help keep you away from dangerous magic or potions. I usually believe it to be dangerous to allow a soldier into a mission without complete knowledge of variables such as this."

"You sound hesitant."

"I fear my son has not grown up as much as I would like to say he has. I fear he might offend you, my Prince, with hastily spoken words."

Dorian turned back to him, one eyebrow cocked. "That will surely not be a problem, as I instructed you to correct his unfortunate habit of offending me. I gave you that order nigh on a month ago, did I not?"

Severus cleared his throat, reminding Dorian to keep his temper.

"You did, my Prince. Forgive me. I am certain he will behave appropriately, and he will extend the fullness of his protection to you and your child."

Dorian nodded his satisfaction. "Remain near. We will call you when we are finished."

Severus and Lucius withdrew into a side room to await the end of their meeting. "How do you think he will react?" Severus asked Lucius once the door shut.

"Merlin knows. I can only pray the boy is intelligent enough to react properly."

"You gave him no explanation for what happened at the ball? You gave him no hint that Dorian was in a mating season?"

Lucius shook his head. "I didn't dare. It was such privileged information, and until we knew the outcome, I did not wish to discuss it with anyone. This will be one hell of a shock for him though – the Prince pregnant, and carrying your child."

Severus nodded, and sent up a quick prayer of his own that his godson would react appropriately. He didn't want his pet to leave for this mission in a bad mood, and he knew that having Draco along with him for amusement was a large part of what was keeping Dorian excited about this mission. Although Dorian wouldn't admit it to anyone, even his own Master, Severus knew that his pet had long wanted to get to know Draco better. It was all up to Draco now, and his reaction to the news he was about to receive.

BlackPrinceBlackPrinceBlackPrinceBlackPrince

Dorian allowed the door to slam shut behind them as they entered the sitting room, smirking when Draco jumped slightly. Dorian waited for Ginevra to sit before starting. "We have deemed it provident to inform you of certain developments," he began, standing in front of the fireplace.

Draco nodded, although he did not speak.

"I suppose you have a moderately clear memory of the celebration ball which the Dark Lord and I threw for our soldiers," he said, not pausing for Draco to respond. "What you are not aware of is the impetus behind certain actions that night. Due to developments that had occurred over the summer, my incubus nature asserted itself earlier than expected. I had entered into a mating season, something that typically does not occur until an incubus is in his twenties." Dorian turned toward Draco, looking for understanding.

"Is one of your soldiers pregnant with your heir?" Draco asked hesitantly, trying to figure out who it could possibly be. There weren't that many women among the troops, and most of those were married. Death Eaters eschewed affairs, and so it was unlikely that he had chosen a woman among the married couples.

"No. I carry my own heir."

Draco stared at him, his mouth opening and closing several times before he could force any words to escape. "You? But…but…"

Dorian rolled his eyes in irritation. "I am a magical creature, Draco, and I am the most powerful wizard alive, to boot. Of _course_ I am capable of carrying my own heir. Can you imagine anyone more worthy than myself?"

Draco heard the edge to that question and wisely shook his head. "Of course not, my Prince. A very wise decision." He paused for a moment, trying to assimilate the news. "Is the other father Severus?"

"Obviously."

"Could he not carry the child? I think only of your comfort, my Prince," Draco said hastily when he saw Dorian's dark countenance.

"Not even I would perform such Black magic on my mate," Dorian snarled. "It would kill him, as any remotely intelligent wizard would well know."

"Of course, I had not thought. Do you know yet, if you carry a boy or a girl?"

"It's a boy, you half-wit," Dorian snapped. "I'm an incubus."

"Now Ian," Ginevra stepped in, "not everyone has a very detailed understanding of incubi and succubi. It is perhaps not Draco's fault for thinking it possible for you to conceive a succubus."

Dorian glared at both of them for a long moment before conceding the point. Hardly anyone who was not an incubus or a succubus in fact knew that the two races, although similar in many aspects, were completely unrelated. An incubus could no more sire a succubus than a human could sire a dragon.

"Thank you for sharing this momentous news with me, Prince," Draco said, luckily reading the situation correctly. "This is a great day for the Death Eaters, and for both of our leaders," he said, nodding at Ginevra. "I am certain Lord Voldemort is pleased with this development. I will do my best to protect you and the heir at all costs."

Dorian nodded his satisfaction. A decent response, if a trifle delayed by ignorant questions. "Go and collect Lucius and Severus."

Draco moved quickly toward the door to call his father and godfather into the meeting. He knocked hesitantly on the door to the smaller study in which the older men had withdrawn.

Lucius stood to open it. "He is ready for us?"

"He's pregnant?" Draco gasped in disbelief, unable to answer his father's questioin.

"Tell me you did not react like this in front of him," Lucius said, his irritation clear.

"No sir, I think I hid it sufficiently well. But pregnant? I didn't even know that was possible for men!"

"Those who carry certain types of creature blood can conceive," Severus said matter of factly. "We had best hurry, I don't wish for him to get impatient. He will likely take his irritation out on you now, Draco," he said with a smirk.

Draco paled at the thought, knowing it was completely true. He would be the only person with the Black Prince aside from his sister, and so it was likely that he would be the butt of all of his irritation. No need to get him fired up before they even left. The three men hurried into the sitting room, just in time to see Ginevra straightening out her brother's robes after he had made his shift into his new appearance.

"Dorian," Severus greeted him politely. "It appears that you are ready."

"Everything is ready for your arrival at the store, my Prince," Draco said humbly.

Dorian glared at him, his eyes dancing with fury. "Have I not instructed you repeatedly about using that title when I am in this form?" he hissed.

"Forgive me, sir," Draco stumbled. "I will not slip again."

"See that you do not. Should I find it necessary, I will replace you with your father. Surely he can amuse me almost as much as you."

Lucius glared at his son. He did _not_ want to work as a common shopkeeper. While he would certainly take any mission assigned to him, appearing in a shop like that as an employee would start entirely too many rumors and would draw the wrong kind of attention. Not to mention the fact that it would take away from his time that he usually dedicated to the ministry.

Draco paled. "You will not need to replace me, Dorian."

Ginevra smiled at him and reached down to grab one of the few pieces of luggage that the two "Americans" would be carrying with them for their grand entrance. Draco rushed to grab the heaviest of the bags, earning another smile from her. "Thank you," she said, startling the Malfoy heir once more as her voice slipped out with an American accent. He had not noticed it earlier, being too distracted by the news of his leader's pregnancy.

"Please be careful, my Prince," Severus said softly. "Call me should you need my assistance." Dorian had yet to activate his mark when he needed his Master, but they both knew that would be the easiest way for them to communicate.

A hurried kiss, a fumbling of baggage and the new trio were ready to leave.


End file.
